Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 26, 2025

Isolation and Identification of Waterborne Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria and Molecular Characterization of their Antibiotic Resistance Genes
Published on: March 3, 2023
Lineage, Antimicrobial Resistance and Virulence of Citrobacter spp
Liyun Liu1, Liyun Qin2, Shuai Hao3
1State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, China.
Citrobacter bacteria, opportunistic pathogens, show significant genetic diversity and varying virulence. Multidrug-resistant strains, particularly from diarrheal patients, pose a heightened risk of severe illness.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Genetics
Background:
- Citrobacter species are opportunistic human pathogens causing nosocomial and sporadic infections.
- Understanding their genetic diversity, virulence, and antimicrobial resistance is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the genetic diversity, in vitro virulence, and antimicrobial resistance profiles of Citrobacter isolates.
- To correlate these properties with different species and lineages.
Main Methods:
- Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) for genetic diversity.
- Antimicrobial susceptibility testing.
- Adhesion and cytotoxicity assays on HEp-2 cells.
Main Results:
- 128 isolates yielded 123 sequence types (STs), with 101 novel STs, divided into five lineages.
- Lineages II and V showed higher adhesion and cytotoxicity.
- 51 isolates were multidrug-resistant (MDR), prevalent in lineages I, II, and III.
- Quinolone resistance was highest in C. braakii (Lineage III) at 52.6%.
Conclusions:
- Highly cytotoxic, multidrug-resistant Citrobacter isolates from diarrheal patients may lead to severe disease.
- Genetic diversity influences virulence and antimicrobial resistance patterns.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Development of Antibiotic Resistance
Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing
Antimicrobial Effectiveness

