Prevalence and Molecular Characterization of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes in Escherichia coli Isolated from Chicken Meat in Mosul City, Iraq

Al-Mahmood, Omar Ahmed and Awed, Mohammed Jasim Mohammed and Jwher, Dhyaa Mohammed (2026) Prevalence and Molecular Characterization of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes in Escherichia coli Isolated from Chicken Meat in Mosul City, Iraq. World's Veterinary Journal. 587 - 596. ISSN 23224568

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Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in poultry is a growing concern, driven by the widespread use of antibiotics in farming, which can promote the development of resistant bacteria. Resistant pathogens in the food chain can spread AMR and impair the treatment of infectious diseases. The present study aimed to examine the incidence of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and the presence of AMR genes in chicken meat samples collected from different markets in Mosul City, Iraq. Of 120 samples, 27 isolates (22.5) tested positive for E. coli, identified by chromogenic agar, the VITEK® system, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the uidA gene. All isolates (27/27; 100) were confirmed positive for uidA detection. The positive isolates were evaluated for five AMR genes, including dihydrofolate reductase A (dfrA), β-lactamase TEM (blaTEM), aminoglycoside acetyltransferase (aac), DNA gyrase subunit A (gyrA), and DNA gyrase subunit B (gyrB). The current findings indicated that 66.7 of the isolates carried at least one resistance gene, and 14.8 carried more than one. The most commonly detected gene was dfrA (37.0), followed by blaTEM (29.6) and aac (14.8). The gyrA gene was found in one isolate (3.7); however, the gyrB gene was not detected. Identifying resistance genes causing resistance to commonly used antibiotics, such as trimethoprim, β-lactams, and aminoglycosides, represented a significant public health concern. The current findings can help identify and reduce the spread of AMR across the food supply chain in Iraq. © The Author(s) 2026. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	Antimicrobial resistance gene; Chicken meat; Escherichia coli; Polymerase chain reaction; Public health
Subjects:	S Agriculture > SF Animal culture
Divisions:	World's Veterinary Journal (WVJ)
Page Range:	587 - 596
Journal or Publication Title:	World's Veterinary Journal
Journal Index:	Scopus
Volume:	16
Number:	2
Publisher:	Scienceline Publication
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.54203/scil.2026.wvj56
ISSN:	23224568
Depositing User:	Dr. Alireza Sadeghi
URI:	https://eprints.science-line.com/id/eprint/1724

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