characterization and antibiotic resistance of fluorescent stenotrophomonas maltophilia isolated from tomatoe

The objective of this study was to isolate and identify a strain of stenotrophomonas maltophilia from tomatoes exhibiting fluorescent properties under nocturnal conditions. given the multi-drug resistance and opportunistic nature of this bacterium, it is crucial to understand its characteristics and resistance mechanisms to inform effective management strategies. samples were collected from the surface of tomatoe and cultured on blood agar and macconkey agar to facilitate the growth and preliminary identification of the bacterium. colonies displaying characteristic morphology were further analyzed using polymerase chain reaction (pcr) to confirm the presence of s. maltophilia. molecular techniques involved specific primers targeting conserved regions of the s. maltophilia genome. an antibiogram test was performed using standard disc diffusion methods to evaluate the antibiotic resistance profile of the isolated strain. the isolated strain from the tomato samples exhibited distinct growth on blood agar and macconkey agar, consistent with the expected morphology of s. maltophilia. under uv light, the colonies demonstrated a notable fluorescent property. pcr analysis confirmed the identity of the bacterium as stenotrophomonas maltophilia. antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed a high level of resistance to multiple antibiotic classes, aligning with known resistance patterns of this pathogen. the study successfully isolated and identified a fluorescent strain of stenotrophomonas maltophilia from tomatoes. the bacterium exhibited significant antibiotic resistance, underscoring the challenges in managing infections caused by this pathogen. these findings highlight the necessity for continuous monitoring and development of novel therapeutic strategies to combat the spread of resistant s. maltophilia strains in both clinical and agricultural settings.