Sistema microbiológico de cinco bioensayos para la detección de residuos de antibióticos / Five-assay microbiological system for the screeningf antibiotic residues

Abstract A novel microbiological system in microtiter plates consisting of five bioassays is presented for the detection and classification of antibiotic residues in milk. The bioassays were optimized for the detection of beta-lactams (Bioassay B: Geobacillus stearothermophilus), macrolides (Bioassay M: Bacillus megaterium with fusidic acid), tetracyclines (Bioassay T: B. megaterium with chloramphenicol), quinolones (Bioassay Q: Bacillus licheniformis) and sulfamides (Bioassay QS: B. licheniformis with trimethoprim) at levels near the maximum residue limits (MRL). The response of each bioassay was interpreted visually (positive or negative) after 4-5.5h of incubation. The system detects and classifies beta-lactams (5 pg/l of amoxicillin, 4 pg/l of ampicillin, 36 pg/l of cloxacillin, 22 pg/l of amoxicillin, 3 pg/l of penicillin, 114 pg/l of cephalexin, 89pg/l of cefoperazone and 116 pg/l of ceftiofur), tetracyclines (98 pg/l of chlortetracycline, 92 pg/l of oxytetracycline and 88 pg/l of tetracycline), macrolides (33 pg/l of erythromycin, 44 pg/l of tilmicosin and 50 pg/l of tylosin), sulfonamides (76 pg/l of sulfadiazine, 85 pg/l of sulfadimethoxine, 77 pg/l of sulfamethoxazole and 87pg/l of sulfathiazole) and quinolones (94 pg/l of ciprofloxacin, 98 pg/l of enrofloxacin and 79 pg/l marbofloxacin). In addition, the specificity values were high for B, T, Q (99.4%), M (98.8%) and QS (98.1%) bioassays. The control of antibiotics through this system can contribute to improving the quality and safety of dairy products.

Resumen Se presenta un novedoso sistema microbiológico en placas de microtitulación compuesto por 5 bioensayos para la detección y clasificación de residuos de antibióticos en leche. Los bioensayos fueron optimizados para la detección de betalactámicos (bioensayo B: Geobacillus stearothermophilus), macrólidos (bioensayo M: Bacillus megaterium con ácido fusídico), tetraciclinas (bioensayo T: Bacillus megaterium con cloranfenicol), quinolonas (bioensayo Q: Bacillus licheniformis) y sulfamidas (bioensayo QS: Bacillus licheniformis con trimetoprima), a niveles cercanos a los límites máximos de residuos (LMR). La respuesta de cada bioensayo se interpretó visualmente (positiva o negativa) después de 4 a 5,5 h de incubación. El sistema detecta y clasifica betalactámicos (5 pg/l de amoxicilina, 4 pg/l de ampicilina, 36 pg/l de cloxacilina, 22 pg/l de amoxicilina, 3 pg/l de penicilina, 114 pg/l de cefalexina, 89 pg/l de cefoperazona y 116 pg/l de ceftiofur), tetraciclinas (98 pg/l de clortetraciclina, 92 pg/l de oxitetraciclina y 88 pg/l de tetraciclina), macrólidos (33 pg/l de eritromicina, 44 pg/l de tilmi-cosina y 50 pg/l de tilosina), sulfamidas (76 pg/l de sulfadiacina, 85 pg/l de sulfadimetoxina, 77 pg/l de sulfametoxazol y 87 pg/l de sulfatiazol) y quinolonas (94 pg/l de ciprofloxacina, 98 pg/l de enrofloxacina y 79pg/l de marbofloxacina). Además, los valores de especificidad fueron altos para los bioensayos B, T, Q (99,4%), M (98,8%) y QS (98,1%). El control de residuos de antibióticos mediante este sistema puede contribuir a mejorar la calidad e inocuidad de los productos lácteos.

Five-assay microbiological system for the screening of antibiotic residues.

A novel microbiological system in microtiter plates consisting of five bioassays is presented for the detection and classification of antibiotic residues in milk. The bioassays were optimized for the detection of beta-lactams (Bioassay B: Geobacillus stearothermophilus), macrolides (Bioassay M: Bacillus megaterium with fusidic acid), tetracyclines (Bioassay T: B. megaterium with chloramphenicol), quinolones (Bioassay Q: Bacillus licheniformis) and sulfamides (Bioassay QS: B. licheniformis with trimethoprim) at levels near the maximum residue limits (MRL). The response of each bioassay was interpreted visually (positive or negative) after 4-5.5h of incubation. The system detects and classifies beta-lactams (5µg/l of amoxicillin, 4µg/l of ampicillin, 36µg/l of cloxacillin, 22µg/l of amoxicillin, 3µg/l of penicillin, 114µg/l of cephalexin, 89µg/l of cefoperazone and 116µg/l of ceftiofur), tetracyclines (98µg/l of chlortetracycline, 92µg/l of oxytetracycline and 88µg/l of tetracycline), macrolides (33µg/l of erythromycin, 44µg/l of tilmicosin and 50µg/l of tylosin), sulfonamides (76µg/l of sulfadiazine, 85µg/l of sulfadimethoxine, 77µg/l of sulfamethoxazole and 87µg/l of sulfathiazole) and quinolones (94µg/l of ciprofloxacin, 98µg/l of enrofloxacin and 79µg/l marbofloxacin). In addition, the specificity values were high for B, T, Q (99.4%), M (98.8%) and QS (98.1%) bioassays. The control of antibiotics through this system can contribute to improving the quality and safety of dairy products.

Novel bioassay using Bacillus megaterium to detect tetracycline in milk.

Tetracyclines are used for the prevention and control of dairy cattle diseases. Residues of these drugs can be excreted into milk. Thus, the aim of this study was to develop a microbiological method using Bacillus megaterium to detect tetracyclines (chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline and tetracycline) in milk. In order to approximate the limits of detection of the bioassay to the Maximum Residue Limit (100µg/l) for milk tetracycline, different concentrations of chloramphenicol (0, 1000, 1500 and 2000µg/l) were tested. The detection limits calculated were similar to the Maximum Residue Limits when a bioassay using B. megaterium ATCC 9885 spores (2.8×10(8)spores/ml) and chloramphenicol (2000µg/l) was utilized. This bioassay detects 105µg/l of chlortetracycline, 100µg/l of oxytetracycline and 134µg/l of tetracycline in 5h. Therefore, this method is suitable to be incorporated into a microbiological multi-residue system for the identification of tetracyclines in milk.

Microbiological bioassay using Bacillus pumilus to detect tetracycline in milk.

The tetracyclines (TCs) are widely used in the treatment of several diseases of cattle and their residues may be present in milk. To control these residues it is necessary to have available inexpensive screening methods, user-friendly and capable of analysing a high number of samples. The purpose of this study was to design a bioassay of microbiological inhibition in microtiter plates with spores of Bacillus pumilus to detect TCs at concentrations corresponding to the Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs). Several complementary experiments were performed to design the bioassay. In the first study, we determined the concentration of spores that produce a change in the bioassay's relative absorbance in a short time period. Subsequently, we assessed the concentration of chloramphenicol required to decrease the detection limit (DL) of TCs at MRLs levels. Thereafter, specificity, DL and cross-specificity of the bioassay were estimated. The most appropriate microbiological inhibition assay had a B. pumilus concentration of 1.6 × 10(9) spores/ml, fortified with 2500 µg chloramphenicol/l (CAP) in Mueller Hinton culture medium using brilliant black and toluidine blue as redox indicator. This bioassay detected 117 µg chlortetracycline/l, 142 µg oxytetracycline/l and 105 µg tetracycline/l by means of a change in the indicator's colour in a period of 5 h. The method showed good specificity (97.9%) which decreased slightly (93.3%) in milk samples with high somatic cell counts (>250,000 cells/ml). Furthermore, other antimicrobials studied (except neomycin) must be present in milk at high concentrations (from >5 to >100 MRLs) to produce positive results in this assay, indicating a low cross specificity.