An Insight into the Presence of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes in Opportunistic Pathogenic Bacteria Isolated from Farm-Reared Crickets

Overview

Journal Microorganisms

Specialty Microbiology

Date 2025 Feb 26

PMID 40005757

Authors

Teresita D J Bello Gonzalez

Betty van Gelderen

Frank Harders

Alex Bossers

Michael S M Brouwer

Olga L M Haenen

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

To support the role of insects as sustainable feed and food ingredients, evaluating their potential microbiological risk and safety is crucial. In this study, we investigated the presence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes in selected live opportunistic pathogenic bacteria isolated during the rearing process from clinically healthy farm-reared crickets. Molecular analysis was performed by wholegenome sequencing of a total of 14 of these bacterial strains, 7 from house crickets () and 7 from banded crickets (), belonging to , , , and families. The β-lactam AMR genes (, , and variants) were the most predominant genes identified, mainly in strains and in association with fosfomycin (A) and AB efflux pump complexes. In addition, Z and A genes were detected in and strains isolated from both insect species. Genetic mobile elements including IncFIA, IncFIB, IncHI1A, IncHI1B, rep13, and Col3M-like plasmids were detected in , , , and , respectively. The results indicate that, not only in the final product but also during the insect-rearing process, microbial safety control, regarding the presence of pathogenic bacteria and AMR genes, is essential for effectively decreasing the microbiological risk between cricket batches within their environment and in terms of the related feed and food chain.

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