Preliminary assessment of antimicrobial resistance in Vibrio spp. from the Adriatic Sea: spatial patterns and One Health implications

Orlić, Karla; Vardić Smrzlić, Irena; Gavrilović, Ana; Jug Dujaković, Jurica; Perić, Lorena; Kolda, Anamarija; Kazazić, Snježana; Barac, Fran; Kurtović, Božidar; Novosel, Brigita; Žunić, Jakov; Kapetanović, Damir; Klanjšček, Tin (2025) Preliminary assessment of antimicrobial resistance in Vibrio spp. from the Adriatic Sea: spatial patterns and One Health implications. Regional Studies in Marine Science, 92 . ISSN 2352-4855

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Abstract

Vibrio species are ubiquitous in marine environments, with several taxa acting as opportunistic pathogens affecting both human and aquatic health. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in marine Vibrio spp. poses an emerging risk to environmental and public health, particularly within aquaculture-intensive coastal regions. This preliminary study investigates antimicrobial resistance (AMR) patterns in Vibrio spp. and presents the first integrated One Health-based assessment of spatial variability within aquaculture systems of the eastern Adriatic Sea. A total of 258 isolates were recovered from farmed fish, seawater, sediments, and biofouling mussels. These isolates were classified into ecologically relevant clades, with Harveyi (47.29%) and Splendidus (43.02%) being the most prevalent. Antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed high resistance to ampicillin (62.8%), followed by erythromycin (33.3%), streptomycin (29.1%), imipenem (23.3%), and oxytetracycline (19.4%). Notably, 58.5% of isolates were resistant to ≥2 antibiotics, and 37.6% exhibited a multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index of ≥0.25. Distinct spatial resistance patterns were observed: Harveyi clade isolates from northern and central Adriatic sites exhibited elevated resistance to ampicillin, while Splendidus clade isolates from the southern Adriatic showed greater resistance to florfenicol and tetracycline. These findings suggest that local environmental conditions and aquaculture practices shape resistance dynamics, even in the absence of direct antibiotic concentration data. This study highlights the dominant role of Harveyi and Splendidus clades in AMR development and underscores the urgent need for spatially informed, region-specific antibiotic stewardship. The results provide essential baseline data to inform future AMR monitoring frameworks and public health policies across the Mediterranean aquaculture sector, using a One Health framework that promotes integrated collaboration across human, animal, and environmental health sectors, particularly in the context of climate change.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Vibrio; Adriatic Sea; antimicrobial resistance (AMR); European seabass; aquaculture environment; One Health
Subjects:	NATURAL SCIENCES > Interdisciplinary Natural Sciences > Marine Science BIOMEDICINE AND HEALTHCARE BIOMEDICINE AND HEALTHCARE > Public Health and Health Care BIOMEDICINE AND HEALTHCARE > Veterinary Medicine > Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety
Divisions:	Division for Marine and Enviromental Research Division of Physical Chemistry
Projects:	Project title Project leader Project code Project type Mikrobna ekologija voda kao pokazatelj zdravstvenog stanja okoliša-AQUAHEALTH Damir Kapetanović IP-2014-09-3494 HRZZ Prilagodba uzgoja bijele ribe klimatskim promjenama-AqADAPT Tin Klanjšček IP-2018-01-3150 HRZZ Osjetljivost komercijalno važnih školjkaša u akvakulturi istočnog dijela Jadrana na promjene okolišnih uvjeta-BEST ADRIA Lorena Perić IP-2019-04-1956 HRZZ
Depositing User:	Damir Kapetanović
Date Deposited:	14 Nov 2025 12:58
URI:	http://fulir.irb.hr/id/eprint/10205
DOI:	10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104582

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