Studies of the Microbiological Quality of Nodipecten nodosus (Linnaeus, 1758) in Water from Farms for Human Consumption in Angra Dos Reis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

This paper presents a novel study on the microbial diversity of Nodipecten nodosus in aquaculture waters and its production. The Lion’s paw scallop (Nodipecten nodosus) is the most economically relevant organism, highly farmed in southeastern Brazil. However, the microbiological contamination of these animals can make their consumption unfeasible. This study assessed the bacterial diversity of Lion’s paw scallop gill arch tissues and the surrounding water of a scallop farm in Angra dos Reis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The isolates (n = 216) were submitted to MALDI-TOF MS identification. Susceptibility to antimicrobials and the ability to produce carbapenems were analyzed by disk diffusion. Studies with isolates of Pseudomonas putida exhibited the highest percentage of resistance to ciprofloxin (42%). All Pseudomonas putida isolates were sensitive to meropenem. Vibrio alginolyticos and Vibrio fluvialis exhibited greater resistance to meropenem. The presence of resistant Vibrio spp. and Pseudomonas spp. and potentially pathogenic bacteria in the analyzed waters and gill arch tissues highlights potential antimicrobial resistance reservoirs, suggesting public health risks regarding bathing in the waters and consuming Lion's paw scallops from the analyzed farm.