This study aimed to investigate the presence of plasmid-encoded beta-lactamase enzymes in Escherichia coli isolated from fish sourced from rivers and private aquaculture ponds in Kirkuk, Iraq. Fifty samples (25 from each source) were collected and analyzed using morphological, biochemical, and API 20E identification methods. Beta-lactamase production was found in 12% of river isolates and 24% of pond isolates. Plasmid extraction and curing were performed using alkaline lysis and SDS treatment. The findings demonstrated that most isolates lost their beta-lactamase activity after plasmid curing, suggesting that the resistance genes were plasmid-borne. This research highlights the potential health risks associated with antibiotic resistance in aquaculture environments.
et al., A. (2025). Plasmid-Encoded Beta-Lactamase Production in Escherichia coli Isolated from River and Aquaculture Fish in Kirkuk, Iraq. Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries, 29(4), 2401-2408. doi: 10.21608/ejabf.2025.448217
MLA
AL-Qaisi et al.. "Plasmid-Encoded Beta-Lactamase Production in Escherichia coli Isolated from River and Aquaculture Fish in Kirkuk, Iraq", Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries, 29, 4, 2025, 2401-2408. doi: 10.21608/ejabf.2025.448217
HARVARD
et al., A. (2025). 'Plasmid-Encoded Beta-Lactamase Production in Escherichia coli Isolated from River and Aquaculture Fish in Kirkuk, Iraq', Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries, 29(4), pp. 2401-2408. doi: 10.21608/ejabf.2025.448217
VANCOUVER
et al., A. Plasmid-Encoded Beta-Lactamase Production in Escherichia coli Isolated from River and Aquaculture Fish in Kirkuk, Iraq. Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries, 2025; 29(4): 2401-2408. doi: 10.21608/ejabf.2025.448217