ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE AND HEMOLYTIC ACTIVITY IN ENTEROCOCCI ISOLATED FROM TULUM CHEESE SOLD IN AKSARAY PROVINCE

OpenAlex İngilizce

This study aimed to evaluate the hemolytic activity and antibiotic susceptibility of enterococci isolated from Tulum cheese samples sold in Aksaray province. The isolates were identified as E. faecium (n = 30), E. faecalis (n = 25), and E. durans (n = 7) as a result of 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Three strains (E. faecalis ATC12, E. faecium ATC49, and E. faecium ATC54) exhibited ß-hemolytic activity, whereas others were non-hemolytic. Enterococci were found to have an intermediary or high resistance to nalidixic acid (%100), oxacillin (92%), and streptomycin (72.6%), respectively. E. faecalis strains had more resistant phenotypes to various clinically significant antibiotics than E. faecium and E. durans. Multi-drug resistance was found in 41.93% of the isolates. According to the results, Tulum cheese produced in Aksaray could be a potential vehicle for the transmission of antibiotic resistance via the food chain.