Biofilm-mediated antimicrobial resistance among meat-borne pathogens in Al-Suwaria, Iraq: A cross-species investigation from retail markets

Vet World Vol.18 August-2025 Article - 30

Research Article

Veterinary World, 18(8): 2487-2498

https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2025.2487-2498

Manal H. G. Kanaan¹

, Zena Kassem Khalil²

, and Ahmad M. Tarek³

1. Department of Nursing, Technical Institute of Suwaria, Middle Technical University, Baghdad, Iraq.

2. Department of Optometry, Medical Technical Institute Al-Mansor, Middle Technical University, Baghdad, Iraq.

3. Department of Crime Evidence, Institute of Medical Technology Al-Mansour, Middle Technical University, Baghdad, Iraq.

Background and Aim: Biofilms formed by foodborne pathogens represent a significant threat to public health by enhancing microbial survival and facilitating antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In Iraq, data on the biofilm-producing potential of key meat-borne pathogens remain scarce, particularly for fastidious organisms such as Campylobacter, Arcobacter, and Salmonella serovars. This study investigated the prevalence and intensity of biofilm formation in selected meat-borne bacterial isolates and examined their correlation with phenotypic AMR, focusing on moderate to strong biofilm producers.

Materials and Methods: A total of 44 bacterial isolates – including Staphylococcus aureus (methicillin-resistant S. aureus [MRSA]), Arcobacter butzleri, Arcobacter cryaerophilus, Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli, Salmonella enterica serovars Enteritidis, and Salmonella Typhimurium – were recovered from retail meat samples collected between 2018 and 2023 in Wasit, Iraq. Biofilm-forming ability was quantified using microtiter plate assays and interpreted per Stepanovic’s criteria. Antimicrobial susceptibility was assessed through the Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method, with resistance patterns statistically analyzed for associations with biofilm strength.

Results: Among all isolates, 25% were strong and 40.91% moderate biofilm producers. Salmonella serotypes showed the highest biofilm strength (100%), followed by C. jejuni (75%) and MRSA (57.14%). A significant correlation (p ≤ 0.05) was observed between biofilm production and resistance to vancomycin, ofloxacin, gentamicin, enrofloxacin, and cefoxitin. Gram-negative isolates with strong to moderate biofilm capacity exhibited resistance rates ranging from 61.90% to 95.24%, while Gram-positive MRSA showed higher resistance to fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides.

Conclusion: Biofilm production significantly contributes to increase AMR among meat-borne pathogens, compromising food safety and treatment efficacy. Enhanced surveillance, targeted biofilm control strategies, and molecular studies are crucial to mitigate the rising threat of biofilm-associated AMR in the food chain.

Keywords: antimicrobial resistance, Arcobacter, Biofilm, Campylobacter, Iraq, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, retail meat, Salmonella.

How to cite this article: Kanaan MHG, Khalil ZK, and Tarek AM (2025) Biofilm-mediated antimicrobial resistance among meat-borne pathogens in Al-Suwaria, Iraq: A cross-species investigation from retail markets, Veterinary World, 18(8): 2487-2498.

Received: 02-04-2025 Accepted: 25-07-2025 Published online: 30-08-2025

Corresponding author: Manal H. G. Kanaan E-mail: dr.manalhadi@mtu.edu.iq

DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2025.2487-2498

Copyright: Kanaan, et al. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.