Tetracycline Resistance and Prevalence of Tetracycline Resistance Genes in Bacteria from Marine Aquaculture Farms in Peninsular Malaysia

Abstract

The indiscriminate use of antibiotic in aquaculture and leaching of antibiotic from aquaculture to the environment may led to the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria and their resistant genes which is a public concern. Five tetracycline antibiotics (minocycline, doxycycline, chlorotetracycline, oxytetracycline and tetracycline) and 14 types of tetracycline genes, tet[(A), (B), (C), (D), (E), (G), (K), (L), (M), (O), (S), (P), (Q) and (X)], were investigated in waters from five marine aquaculture farms in Peninsular Malaysia. Tetracycline was detected in low concentrations from