Abstract Description

Since the dawn of time, polyherbal formulations have been used to treat infectious diseases; they are famous for their effectiveness, accessibility, increasing scientific support, and potential for commercial success. However, polyherbal formulations can harbor microorganisms, including Vibrio spp., that can be directly transmitted to humans and influence the increase in frequency of antimicrobial resistance in these microorganisms. The aim of the study was to evaluate the antibiotic resistance profile of Vibrio isolates and molecularly detect mobile genetic elements associated with antibiotic resistance. A total of 53 Vibrio isolates, previously recovered from the polyherbal formulations, were resuscitated from the AEMREG culture collection, and their identity was molecularly reaffirmed and delineated to the species level with PCR and specific primer sets. All isolates were tested against 12 antibiotics, antibiotic resistance genes, and mobile genetic elements were screened from the isolates that were resistant to the respective antibiotics. Vibrio isolates belonged to 3 species, V. mimicus (39.6 %), V. alginolyticus (24.6 %), and V. parahaemolyticus (35.8 %). About 94 % of Vibrio isolates were resistant to at least one antibiotic; the highest antibiotic resistance was observed against levofloxacin (72 %), followed by ampicillin-sulbactam (70 %). Antibiotic resistance genes BlaNDM, BlaZ, catI, and strA were detected from antibiotic-resistant isolates, as well as mobile genetic elements IS (88 %), Sul1 (56 %), Sul2 (36 %), and ValT2 (8 %). The results of this study reveal that the people of the Amathole District Municipality are exposed to health risks every time they consume polyherbal formulations, and the presence of antibiotic-resistant Vibrio spp. can facilitate the spread of antimicrobial resistance genes and mobile genetic elements. It is recommended that we boil polyherbal formulations sufficiently to kill any pathogenic microorganisms present before consumption.