Salmonella enterica is a Gram-negative, anaerobic pathogen that is one of the most common species of Salmonella found in the United States. Salmonella enterica account for ~99% of Salmonella infections in humans and other mammals. Antibiotic resistance spread can be facilitated by the use of antibiotics in animal feed and overuse in healthcare settings. Preventative measures such as food and water sanitation and vaccines have significantly decreased the incidence of Salmonella infections. However, increasing incidences of antibiotic resistance in Salmonella has raised concern. In order to analyze the antibiotic resistant markers that confer resistance, we bioinformatically screened environmental Salmonella enterica genomes from isolates acquired from southeastern Georgia farmland using the Resistance Gene Identifier (RGI) of the Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database (CARD) to identify the presence of single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with antibiotic resistance in these bacteria. Using RGI, 5 SNPs were identified that confer resistance Nitrofurantoin, Pulvomycin, Fosfomycin, and Beta-lactam antibiotics. Two out of five of the SNPs confer resistance to Fosfomycin. Continued analysis will identify the epistatic effects of these SNPs and other resistance genes in Salmonella enterica isolates. We plan to follow up on the bioinformatic results using biochemical testing of antibiotic resistance and susceptibility in the laboratory.
