Contamination of Kazakhstan cheeses originating from Escherichia coli and its resistance to antimicrobial drugs

Research (Published online: 15-02-2024)

14. Contamination of Kazakhstan cheeses originating from Escherichia coli and its resistance to antimicrobial drugs

Anar Kuzeubayeva, Altay Ussenbayev, Ali Aydin, Zhannara Akanova, Raushan Rychshanova, Elmira Abdullina, Dinara Seitkamzina, Laura Sakharia, and Saidulla Ruzmatov

Veterinary World, 17(2): 361-370

Anar Kuzeubayeva: Department of Veterinary Medicine and Livestock Technology, Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical Research University, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan.

Altay Ussenbayev: Department of Veterinary Medicine and Livestock Technology, Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical Research University, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan.

Ali Aydin: Department of Food Hygiene and Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Istanbul University - Cerrahpaşa, Istanbul, 34320, Turkey.

Zhannara Akanova: Department of Veterinary Medicine and Livestock Technology, Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical Research University, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan.

Raushan Rychshanova: Scientific Innovation Center, Research Institute of Applied Biotechnology, A. Baitursynov Kostanay Regional University, Kostanay, 110000, Kazakhstan.

Elmira Abdullina: Department of Veterinary Sanitation, Shakarim University of Semey, Semey, 071412, Kazakhstan.

Dinara Seitkamzina: Department of Veterinary Medicine and Livestock Technology, Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical Research University, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan.

Laura Sakharia: Department of Veterinary Medicine and Livestock Technology, Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical Research University, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan.

Saidulla Ruzmatov: Department of Veterinary Medicine and Livestock Technology, Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical Research University, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan.

Background and Aim: Escherichia coli, a commensal intestine bacterium of vertebrates, is widely distributed in the environment and indicates the microbiological quality of food products in relation to coliforms. In addition, virulent strains, particularly E. coli O157:H7, cause outbreaks of toxic infections caused by consuming dairy products. Because food safety studies regarding E. coli have not been conducted in Central Asia, this research aimed to study the characteristics of contamination, microbiological and genotypic properties, and resistance to antimicrobial agents of E. coli strains that contaminate various types of commercialized cheeses originating from Kazakhstan.

Materials and Methods: In retail outlets, 207 samples of three types of cheese produced by 22 industrial and eight small enterprises in the central, eastern, southern, and northern regions of Kazakhstan were selected in 2020–2023. E. coli contamination was examined using standard microbiological, mass spectrometric, and molecular genetic methods. The discodiffuse European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing method was used to test the resistance of the identified E. coli isolates (65/207; 31.4%) to 20 antibacterial drugs. The Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (VT1 and VT2) and E. coli O157:H7 (eae) genes were investigated in all E. coli isolates using multiplex polymerase chain reaction.

Results: An average of 31.4% samples of commercial Kazakhstani cheeses of various types were found to be contaminated with E. coli in almost all geographical regions of Kazakhstan, regardless of the productivity of the dairy enterprises. Soft cheeses produced by small farms (80% of samples) packaged at the retail site (100%) were the most contaminated with E. coli. The microbiological index (colony-forming unit/g) was unsatisfactory and unsuitable in 6.2% of such cheese samples. For the first time in Central Asia, the enteropathogenic strain E. coli O157:H7 was detected in 0.5% of cheese samples. E. coli isolates from cheese samples were resistant to 65% of antibacterial drugs and contained resistance genes to β-lactams, sulfonamides, and quinolones groups. At the same time, 25% of the E. coli isolates were multi-resistant to three or more antimicrobial agents.

Conclusion: The high level of contamination caused by multi-antibiotic resistant E. coli strains, including pathogenic pathogens, poses a risk to public health and highlights the need for further research on the monitoring and control of coliform enteropathogens in food products.

Keywords: antibiotic resistance, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Kazakhstan cheese, microbial contamination.