Quarterly sampling of nine prawn ponds in Kalasin recovered 20 resistant isolates from eight species. Fourteen isolates (70%) were multidrug-resistant, with blaSHV and blaKPC-2 detected, including one A. veronii isolate carrying both.
Key findings
- A. veronii was most common with six isolates; 70% were MDR (95% CI 45.7-88.1), with frequent resistance to ampicillin, vancomycin and rifampicin. The authors describe the blaKPC-2 finding as the first in Thai giant-prawn ponds.
Why this matters globally
The findings connect food safety, animal health and environmental reservoirs under One Health and support AMR surveillance in understudied freshwater aquaculture.
Thai researcher contribution
The Kalasin University team conducted the field survey and laboratory characterisation in a major Northeast Thai aquaculture system.
Limitations to consider
The pond and isolate counts are small, and ampicillin selection introduces enrichment bias. PCR detects genes but not genomic context, expression or transmission; whole-genome and metagenomic confirmation is absent.