Exercise: Qualities of a well-written scientific report

Names: Gabriel Tee, Jon Paul Serafico, Czarevich Margelo Parra, Julio Nakpil, Caleb
Tiam-Lee
Section: LB5B

Title of the Scientific Article: Identification of antimicrobial resistance in MDR

Salmonella spp. through combined protocols using disk diffusion assay, PCR and qPCR

ABSTRACT

The issue of increasing numbers of multidrug resistance (MDR) in bacteria has been
observed since the 2000s due to antibiotic-related malpractice in the agriculture sector.
This study aims to detect antimicrobial resistance and resistance genes present in MDR
Salmonella. With this, salmonella colonies were obtained from different slaughterhouses
in Metro Manila, where 28 colonies were prepared after being subcultured and
incubated. The disk diffusion method was then employed using 5 antibiotic disks,
wherein the most resistant colonies to the antibiotic would be chosen to undergo a
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test. From then, these samples were streaked onto
nutrient agar plates and later incubated, with colonies inoculated in a buffer, where a
centrifuge was used to obtain their DNA. After antibiotic and resistance gene tests, the
Applied Biosystems StepOnePlus™ Real-Time PCR was able to analyze the tested
genes using PCR and quantitative PCR. Thus, the data revealed the presence of a high
degree of antimicrobial resistance in the Salmonella isolates, with half of the isolates
found to be resistant to three or more classes of antibiotics, which is classified as
multidrug-resistant. Moreover, the gene tetA was the most common tetracycline
resistance gene found, with 39.3% of the isolates possessing the gene. Therefore,
these results call for advancements in protocols and technologies to detect MDR
bacteria in response, with the creation of initiatives and policies based on data from the
study being utilized to combat the antibiotic resistance crisis by providing better clinical
treatment to those affected by the disease.