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Environmental Enterococcus spp. in aquatic and terrestrial matrices from northwestern Algeria: Antimicrobial resistance profiling and preliminary in vitro evaluation of Lactobacillus-derived antagonism
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1
Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Genetics, Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of Oran Mohamed Boudiaf (USTO-MB), BP 1505 El M’Naouar, 31000 Oran, Algeria
 
2
Laboratory of Microbial Genetics, Department of Biology, University of Oran 1 Ahmed Ben Bella, BP 1524 El M’Naouar, 31000 Oran, Algeria
 
These authors had equal contribution to this work
 
 
Corresponding author
Larouci Saliha   

Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Genetics, Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of Oran Mohamed Boudiaf (USTO-MB), BP 1505 El M’Naouar, 31000 Oran, Algeria
 
 
 
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ABSTRACT
Environmental enterococci are increasingly recognised as major reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) determinants and reliable indicators of faecal contamination in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. This exploratory pilot study, conducted on a limited convenience sample from the Oran region (northwestern Algeria), pursued two interconnected objectives within a One Health framework: (i) to characterise the antimicrobial resistance profiles of environmental Enterococcus isolates recovered from hospital wastewater, municipal sewage sludge, manure-amended agricultural soil, and contaminated river water through species-specific sodA-targeted PCR; and (ii) to evaluate the preliminary in vitro antagonistic potential of four Lactobacillus spp. strains, confirmed at genus level by genus-specific PCR and pre-screened for safety, against multidrug-resistant (MDR) enterococcal isolates. A total of 13 isolates (8 Enterococcus faecalis, 5 Enterococcus faecium) were confirmed by species-specific PCR targeting the sodA gene. Universal ciprofloxacin resistance (100%) and high-level ampicillin resistance (75–80%) were recorded; the genetic basis of fluoroquinolone resistance was not characterised. All isolates remained fully susceptible to linezolid and tigecycline. One E. faecalis isolate from hospital wastewater displayed a phenotypic profile consistent with vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE); genotypic confirmation by vanA/vanB PCR was not performed within the scope of this study; this isolate is classified as putative-VRE throughout. The four Lactobacillus spp. strains (designated LBAS-01 to LBAS-04, confirmed at genus level by genus-specific PCR) were confirmed free of transferable antibiotic resistance genes and haemolytic activity. All produced measurable in vitro inhibitory activity against MDR enterococci (inhibition zone diameters: 9–20 mm); partial mechanistic characterisation indicated that two strains produce a proteinaceous inhibitory substance consistent with bacteriocin activity.
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