Molecular Characterization of Fluoroquinolone-Resistant Aeromonas spp. Isolated from Imported Shrimp

Abstract
Sixty-three nalidixic acid-resistant Aeromonas sp. isolates were obtained from imported shrimp. Phylogenetic analysis of gyrB sequences indicated that 18 were A. enteropelogenes , 26 were A. caviae , and 19 were A. sobria . Double missense mutations in the quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR) of gyrA at codon 83 (Ser→Val/Ile) and codon 92 (Leu→Met) coupled with a point mutation of parC at codon 80 (Ser→Ile/Phe) conferred high levels of quinolone resistance in the isolates. A majority of A. enteropelogenes and A. caviae strains harbored toxin genes, whereas only a few A. sobria strains harbored these genes. The fluoroquinolone-resistant Aeromonas spp. exhibited higher cytotoxicity than fluoroquinolone-sensitive, virulent Aeromonas spp. to rat epithelial cells.