Title : Is air a potential resource of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumanni complex: A survey study of aeroplankton
Abstract:
The air samples were collected from out- and indoor of several regions located in King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia The air samples collector (Microbial Air Sampler, Sampl'air™, Biomerieux, Italy) was used to perform the collection samples. The filtration membranes (0.22 μm) were used to trap the total bacteria freely spread in the air. The collector was sit to collect 1 Liter of air and the filtration membranes were placed on surface of Columbia sheep blood media (bioMe´rieux) for cultivation and isolation airborne bacteria. The initial selection of Acinetobacter baumani isolates was done based on their morphological features on blood agar (smooth, opaque, raised, creamy colonies with 1-2 mm diameter). The experiment was carried out during the four seasons (winter, summer, spring and autumn) during 2022. The purification was done using sub-cultivation and triple streaks technique to obtain the pure colonies. The identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were performed using ID-GNB cards (VITEK 2 system, bioMe´rieux, France). The results showed that of the 248 isolated and identified bacteria, four bacterial isolates were Acinetobacter baumani complex. All A. baumani isolates were antibiotic-resistant strains. The statistical analysis showed that odds ratios of antibiotic resistant strains were 0.083, 0.267, 0.267, and 0.185 for cefuroxime, cefixime, cefotaxime, and amoxicillin respectively. All A. baumani satins were isolated in autumn. These findings demonstrate that the air may be a carrier of extremely harmful microorganisms that are resistant to antibiotics and that this is primarily dependent on the season.
Audience Take Away:
- Warning the public of the dangers of the misuse of antibiotics
- Raise public awareness
- Encourage the scientific community to keep an eye out for these deadly infections