Presence of erythromycin and tetracycline resistance genes in lactic acid bacteria from fermented foods of Indian origin.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) resistant to
erythromycin were isolated from different food samples
on selective media. The isolates were identified as
Enterococcus durans, Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus
lactis, Enterococcus casseliflavus, Lactobacillus
salivarius, Lactobacillus reuteri, Lactobacillus
plantarum, Lactobacillus fermentum, Pediococcus
pentosaceus and Leuconostoc mesenteroides. Of the
total 60 isolates, 88 % harbored the ermB gene. The
efflux gene msrA was identified in E. faecium,
E. durans, E. lactis, E. casseliflavus, P. pentosaceus
and L. fermentum. Further analysis of the msrA gene
by sequencing suggested its homology to msrC.
Resistance to tetracycline due to the genes tetM, tetW,
tetO, tetK and tetL, alone or in combination, were
identified in Lactobacillus species. The tetracycline
efflux genes tetK and tetL occurred in P. pentosaceus
and Enterococcus species. Since it appeared that LAB
had acquired these genes, fermented foods may be a
source of antibiotic resistance.