Bacterial contamination from selected catfish pond farm and its susceptibility to antimicrobial agents

Siti Shahara Zulfakar; Kamarul Zaman Zarkasi; Siti Aida Abd Azman; Shazlin Aida Mohamad Shapie; Farah Diyana Ariffin; Nur Faizah Abu Bakar

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Bacterial contamination from selected catfish pond farm and its susceptibility to antimicrobial agents

Author: Siti Shahara Zulfakar ¹ ; Kamarul Zaman Zarkasi ² ; Siti Aida Abd Azman ¹ ; Shazlin Aida Mohamad Shapie ¹ ; Farah Diyana Ariffin ¹ ; Nur Faizah Abu Bakar ³
Author Information

1. Environmental Health and Industrial Safety Program, Center for Toxicology and Health Risk Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
2. School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Minden, Penang, Malaysia.
3. Centre for Diagnostic, Therapeutic and Investigative Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 50300, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Publication Type:Journal Article
Keywords: Antibiotic resistant; aquaculture; bacterial contamination; wastewater; water quality index
From:Malaysian Journal of Microbiology 2023;19(no.6):705-717
CountryMalaysia
Language:English
Abstract: Aims:The aquaculture industry has been identified as one of the sources for the emergence of antimicrobial resistant bacteria. This study aimed to determine the level of bacterial contamination from selected catfish pond farming at Jasin, Melaka and its susceptibility to antimicrobial agents. The correlation between the sampling points’ Water Quality Index and the level of bacterial contamination was also determined.
Methodology and results :Sampling was carried out at six sampling points of the river as well as selected catfish pond farming. Microbial counts were assessed using the membrane filtration and isolates were further identified by using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were carried out using the disk diffusion method. Results showed that the total bacterial count obtained was not significantly different (P>0.05) between sampling points with an average of 4.47 ± 0.41 log CFU/mL. A total of 27 different bacterial species were identified where 63% were identified as Gram-negative bacteria. A medium negative correlation (r=-6.16, P<0.01) was found between the sampling points’ Water Quality Index and the level of bacterial contamination. Among bacterial species identified, 18 species are pathogenic strains.
Conclusion, significance and impact of study :Antibiotic susceptibility test indicated that only 4 isolates showed resistance to antimicrobials tested and the study shows the potential cross contamination between fishponds and Kesang River, Melaka. Thus, public health concerns are tangible, and prevention of the cross contamination is crucial for the farm.
Full text:20.2023my0075.pdf