Exploring the Diversity and Antibiogram of the Soil around a Tertiary Care Hospital and a University Precinct in Southern India: A Pilot Study
Shalini Kunhikannan,
Cassandra R. Stanton,
Jayson Rose,
Colleen J. Thomas,
Ashley E. Franks,
Sumana M. Neelambike,
Sumana Kumar,
Steve Petrovski,
Anya E. Shindler
Affiliations
Shalini Kunhikannan
Department of Microbiology, Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
Cassandra R. Stanton
Department of Microbiology, Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
Jayson Rose
Department of Microbiology, Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
Colleen J. Thomas
Department of Microbiology, Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
Ashley E. Franks
Department of Microbiology, Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
Sumana M. Neelambike
Department of Microbiology, JSS Hospital, Mysuru 570004, Karnataka, India
Sumana Kumar
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, Mysuru 570015, Karnataka, India
Steve Petrovski
Department of Microbiology, Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
Anya E. Shindler
Department of Microbiology, Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
Soil contains an enormous diversity of microorganisms and can act as a reservoir of antibiotic resistance determinants. This study identified and compared the bacterial diversity and the antimicrobial resistance profile of clinically-relevant isolates around a newly developed hospital and university precinct. Eight soil samples were collected, genomic DNA was extracted and 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed. Bacterial isolates cultured from the soil were identified using MALDI-TOF. Antibiotic sensitivity testing (AST) was performed on a subset of isolates. The soil from both precincts were similarly diverse. Phylum Proteobacteria was prevalent in all samples and was the most abundant in one of the hospital sites. Cyanobacteria was abundant in two hospital sites closer to a sewage treatment plant. Bacterial diversity was only significantly different between two of the hospital sites. A total of 22 Gram-negative organisms were isolated by culture. AST revealed that the soil isolates from both precincts exhibited low resistance. The unidentified bacteria closer to the hospital precinct with human interactions possibly hints at the role of anthropogenic activities on the soil microbial diversity. The abundance of Proteobacteria (causing majority of human infections) and Cyanobacteria nearer to the hospital premises, comprising more immunocompromised and immunocompetent individuals, is concerning.
