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Research Article Volume 13 Issue 3
Environmental occurrence of carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa harbouring clinically relevant carbapenemase genes in poultry farm soils in Lagos, Nigeria
Eddison I Oghonyon, Nzube F Ekpunobi, Sandra C Okoye, Theresa Ariri, Michelle C Okoye
Received: December 20, 2025 | Published: December 29, 2025
Citation: Oghonyon EI, Ekpunobi NF, Okoye SC, et al. Environmental occurrence of carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa harbouring clinically relevant carbapenemase genes in poultry farm soils in Lagos, Nigeria. J Microbiol Exp. 2025;13(31):134-137. DOI: 10.15406/jmen.2025.13.00446
Abstract
Carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA) represents a major global public health threat, yet data on its occurrence in non-clinical environments remain limited, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Agricultural settings, especially poultry farms, may serve as underrecognized reservoirs for carbapenemresistant bacteria. Thirty poultry litter–contaminated soil samples were collected from three poultry farms in Lagos State, Nigeria. Isolation of presumptive CRPA was performed using cetrimide agar supplemented with meropenem. Phenotypic carbapenem resistance was assessed by Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion using meropenem and imipenem in accordance with CLSI guidelines. Molecular identification was confirmed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Polymerase chain reaction was used to detect carbapenemaseencoding genes ( blaIMP, blaVIM, blaKPC, blaOXA-48, and bla OXA-1). A total of 41 carbapenemresistant Pseudomonas isolates were recovered, of which 38 were confirmed as P. aeruginosa. Molecular screening revealed the presence of blaIMP in 31.57% of isolates, blaKPC in 18.42%, and blaVIM and blaOXA-48 each in 7.89%, while blaOXA-1 was not detected. All positive isolates exhibited phenotypic resistance to both meropenem and imipenem. This study demonstrates that poultry farm soils harboured carbapenem-resistant P . aeruginosa carrying clinically significant carbapenemase genes. These findings highlight agricultural environments as important reservoirs for carbapenem resistance and underscore the need to expand antimicrobial resistance surveillance beyond clinical settings. Strengthened antimicrobial stewardship in poultry production and inclusion of environmental monitoring are essential components of effective AMR containment strategies in Nigeria and similar settings.
Keywords: Carbapenem-resistant, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, poultry, 16S rRNA, carbapenemase
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