Climate‑driven shifts in the growth and antimicrobial resistance of Vibrio cholerae, Morganella morganii, Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma harzianum

Kadhim,Suadad Awad; Obeid,Saba Hussein

doi:10.3892/wasj.2025.362

Climate‑driven shifts in the growth and antimicrobial resistance of Vibrio cholerae, Morganella morganii, Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma harzianum

Authors:
- Suadad Awad Kadhim
- Saba Hussein Obeid
View Affiliations

Affiliations: Scientific Research Commission, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Baghdad 10001, Iraq
Published online on: June 16, 2025 https://doi.org/10.3892/wasj.2025.362
Article Number: 74
Copyright : © Kadhim et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License [CC BY 4.0].

Metrics: Total Views: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )

Metrics: Total PDF Downloads: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )

Cited By (CrossRef): 0 citations Loading Articles...

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance and climate change are two interrelated global health challenges that require urgent attention. Temperature, salinity and pH serve as indicators of climate change and can significantly influence microbial growth and antibiotic susceptibility. The aim of the present study was to explore the association between these parameters and antimicrobial resistance. For this purpose, the present study examined four different microorganisms: Vibrio cholerae, Morganella morganii, Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma harzianum. The results revealed a strong association between climate change conditions and antimicrobial resistance. For instance, Vibrio cholerae exhibited resistance to amikacin (10 µg), colistin (10 µg) and tetracycline (100 µg), while it exhibited increased sensitivity to piperacillin (100 µg) under specific environmental conditions, namely, a temperature of 27˚C, a pH of 10, and a salinity of 4%. Furthermore, Aspergillus niger developed resistance to ketoconazole (10 µg) and miconazole (50 µg) when grown in environments with a salinity level of 6%. On the whole, the present study demonstrates that microbial growth and antimicrobial resistant are affected by climate change‑ related factors, such as temperatures, salinity and environmental pH. These changes may contribute to the emergence of new strains harboring multidrug resistance genes.

View Figures

View References

1	Cavicchioli R, Ripple WJ, Timmis KN, Azam F, Bakken LR, Baylis M, Behrenfeld MJ, Boetius A, Boyd PW, Classen AT, et al: 2019: Scientists' warning to humanity: microorganisms and climate change. Nat Rev Microbiol. 17:569–586. 2019.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
2	Mora C, McKenzie T, Gaw IM, Dean JM, von Hammerstein H, Knudson TA, Setter RO, Smith CZ, Webster KM, Patz JA and Franklin EC: Over half of known human pathogenic diseases can be aggravated by climate change. Nat Clim Chang. 12:869–875. 2022.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
3	Gross M: Permafrost thaw releases problems. Curr Biol. 29:R39–R41. 2019.
4	Guzman Herrador BR, De Blasio BF, MacDonald E, Nichols G, Sudre B, Vold L, Semenza JC and Nygård K: Analytical studies assessing the association between extreme precipitation or temperature and drinking water-related waterborne infections: A review. Environ Health. 14(29)2015.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
5	Sobral MFF, Duarte GB, da Penha Sobral AIG, Marinho MLM and de Souza Melo A: Association between climate variables and global transmission oF SARS-CoV-2. Sci Total Environ. 729(138997)2020.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
6	Chua PLC, Huber V, Ng CFS, Seposo XT, Madaniyazi L, Hales S, Woodward A and Hashizume M: Global projections of temperature-attributable mortality due to enteric infections: a modelling study. Lancet Planet Health. 5:e436–e445. 2021.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
7	Magnano San Lio R, Favara G, Maugeri A, Barchitta M and Agodi A: how antimicrobial resistance is linked to climate change: An global challenges overview of two intertwined. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 20(1681)2023.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
8	Sampaio A, Silva V, Poeta P and Aonofriesei F: Vibrio spp.: Life strategies, ecology, and risks in a changing environment. Diversity. 14(97)2022.
9	Li H, Chen Z, Ning Q, Zong F and Wang H: Isolation and identification of morganella morganii from rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) in China. Vet Sci. 11(223)2024.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
10	Liu H, Zhu J, Hu Q and Rao X: Morganella morganii, a non-negligent opportunistic pathogen. Int J Infect Dis. 50:10–17. 2016.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
11	Wheeler KA, Hurdman BF and Pitt JI: Influence of pH on the growth of some toxigenic species of Aspergillus, Penicillium and Fusarium. Int J Food Microbiol. 12:141–149. 1991.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
12	Rhouma A, Salem IB, M'hamdi M and Boughalleb-M'Hamdi N: Relationship study among soils physico-chemical properties and Monosporascus cannonballus ascospores densities for cucurbit fields in Tunisia. Eur J Plant Pathol. 153:65–78. 2019.
13	Abdel-Hadi A and Magan N: Influence of physiological factors on growth, sporulation and ochratoxin A/B production of the new Aspergillus ochraceus grouping. World Mycotoxin J. 2:429–434. 2009.
14	Cao C, Li R, Wan Z, Liu W, Wang X, Qiao J, Wang D, Bulmer G and Calderone R: The effects of temperature, pH, and salinity on the growth and dimorphism of Penicillium marneffei. Med Mycol. 45:401–407. 2007.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
15	Abubakar A, Suberu HA, Bello IM, Abdulkadir R, Daudu OA and Lateef AA: Effect of pH on mycelial growth and sporulation of Aspergillus parasiticus. J Plant Sci. 1:64–67. 2013.
16	Druzhinina IS, Kopchinskiy AG, Komoń M, Bissett J, Szakacs G and Kubicek CP: An oligonucleotide barcode for species identification in Trichoderma and Hypocrea. Fungal Genet Biol. 42:813–828. 2005.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
17	Jones EG, Suetrong S, Sakayaroj J, Bahkali AH, Abdel-Wahab MA, Boekhout T and Pang KL: Classification of marine ascomycota, basidiomycota, blastocladiomycota and chytridiomycota. In: Fungal Diversity. Vol 73. Springer, New York, NY, pp1-72, 2015.
18	Daboul J, Weghorst L, DeAngelis C, Plecha SC, Saul-McBeth J and Matson JS: Characterization of Vibrio cholerae isolates from freshwater sources in northwest Ohio. PLoS One. 15(e0238438)2020.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
19	Pincus DH: Microbial identification using the bioMérieux Vitek® 2 system. In: Encyclopedia of Rapid Microbiological Methods. Parenteral Drug Association, Bethesda, MD, pp1-32, 2006.
20	Silva APRD, Longhi DA, Dalcanton F and Aragão GMFD: Modelling the growth of lactic acid bacteria at different temperatures. Braz arch biol Technol. 61(e18160159)2018.
21	CLSI: Methods for Antimicrobial Dilution and Disk Susceptibility Testing of Infrequently Isolated or Fastidious Bacteria. 3rd edition. Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute, Wayne, PA, 2015.
22	Romero MC, Hammer E, Hanschke R, Arambarri AM and Schauer F: Biotransformation of biphenyl by filamentous fungus Talaromyces helicus. World J Microbiol Biotechnol. 21:101–106. 2005.
23	Webster J (ed): Introduction to Fungi. Cambridge University Press, New York, NY, p669, 1980.
24	Moor-Landecker E: Fundamentals of Fungi. Prentice-Hall India, New Delhi, pp265-277, 1972.
25	CLSI: Method for Antifungal Disk Diffusion Susceptibility Testing of Nondermatophyte Filamentous Fungi. Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute, Wayne, PA, 2010.
26	Qiu Y, Zhou Y, Chang Y, Liang X, Zhang H, Lin X, Qing K, Zhou X and Luo Z: The effects of ventilation, humidity, and temperature on bacterial growth and bacterial genera distribution. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 19(15345)2022.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
27	Buckley LB and Huey RB: How extreme temperatures impact organisms and the evolution of their thermal tolerance. Integr Comp Biol. 56:98–109. 2016.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
28	Donhauser J, Niklaus PA, Rousk J, Larose C and Frey B: Temperatures beyond the community optimum promote the dominance of heat-adapted, fast growing and stress resistant bacteria in alpine soils. Soil Biol Biochem. 148(107873)2020.
29	Rodríguez-Verdugo A, Lozano-Huntelman N, Cruz-Loya M, Savage V and Yeh P: Compounding effects of climate warming and antibiotic resistance. IScience. 23(101024)2020.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
30	Nhu NT, Wang HJ and Dufour YS: Acidic pH reduces Vibrio cholerae motility in mucus by weakening flagellar motor torque. bioRxiv: Dec 10, 2019 (Epub ahead of print). doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/871475.
31	Huq A, West PA, Small EB, Huq MI and Colwell RR: Influence of water temperature, salinity, and pH on survival and growth of toxigenic Vibrio cholerae serovar O1 associated with live copepods in laboratory microcosms. Appl Environ Microbiol. 48:420–424. 1984.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
32	Nhu NTQ, Lee JS, Wang HJ and Dufour YS: Alkaline pH increases swimming speed and facilitates mucus penetration for Vibrio cholerae. J Bacteriol. 203:e00607–20. 2021.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
33	Kostiuk B, Becker ME, Churaman CN, Black JJ, Payne SM, Pukatzki S and Koestler BJ: Vibrio cholerae alkalizes its environment via citrate metabolism to inhibit enteric growth in vitro. Microbiol Spectr. 11(e0491722)2023.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
34	McCarthy SA: Effects of temperature and salinity on survival of toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O1 in seawater. Microb Ecol. 31:167–175. 1996.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
35	Singleton FL, Attwell R, Jangi S and Colwell RR: Effects of temperature and salinity on Vibrio cholerae growth. Appl Environ Microbiol. 44:1047–1058. 1982.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
36	Montilla R, Chowdhury MA, Huq A, Xu B and Colwell RR: Serogroup conversion of Vibrio cholerae non-O1 to Vibrio cholerae O1: Effect of growth state of cells, temperature, and salinity. Can J Microbiol. 42:87–93. 1996.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
37	Frith A, Hayes-Mims M, Carmichael R and Björnsdóttir-Butler K: Effects of environmental and water quality variables on histamine-producing bacteria concentration and species in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Microbiol Spectr. 11(e0472022)2023.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
38	Yuan XH, Li YM, Vaziri AZ, Kaviar VH, Jin Y, Jin Y, Maleki A, Omidi N and Kouhsari E: Global status of antimicrobial resistance among environmental isolates of Vibrio cholerae O1/O139: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Antimicrob Resist Infect Control. 11(62)2022.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
39	Parvin I, Shahunja KM, Khan SH, Alam T, Shahrin L, Ackhter MM, Sarmin M, Dash S, Rahman MW, Shahid AS, et al: Changing susceptibility pattern of Vibrio cholerae O1 isolates to commonly used antibiotics in the largest diarrheal disease hospital in Bangladesh during 2000-2018. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 103:652–658. 2020.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
40	Cruz-Loya M, Kang TM, Lozano NA, Watanabe R, Tekin E, Damoiseaux R, Savage VM and Yeh PJ: Stressor interaction networks suggest antibiotic resistance co-opted from stress responses to temperature. ISME J. 13:12–23. 2019.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
41	Thaotumpitak V, Sripradite J, Atwill ER and Jeamsripong S: Emergence of colistin resistance and characterization of antimicrobial resistance and virulence factors of Aeromonas hydrophila, Salmonella spp., and Vibrio cholerae isolated from hybrid red tilapia cage culture. PeerJ. 11(e14896)2023.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
42	Sharif N, Ahmed SN, Khandaker S, Monifa NH, Abusharha A, Vargas DLR, Díez IT, Castilla AGK, Talukder AA, Parvez AK and Dey SK: Multidrug resistance pattern and molecular epidemiology of pathogens among children with diarrhea in Bangladesh, 2019-2021. Sci Rep. 13(13975)2023.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
43	Das B, Verma J, Kumar P, Ghosh A and Ramamurthy T: Antibiotic resistance in Vibrio cholerae: Understanding the ecology of resistance genes and mechanisms. Vaccine. 38 (Suppl 1):A83–A92. 2020.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
44	Luo XW, Liu PY, Miao QQ, Han RJ, Wu H, Liu JH, He DD and Hu GZ: Multidrug resistance genes carried by a novel transposon Tn 7376 and a genomic island named MMGI-4 in a pathogenic morganella morganii isolate. Microbiology Spectrum. 10:e00265–22. 2022.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
45	Robbins N, Caplan T and Cowen LE: Molecular evolution of antifungal drug resistance. Annu Rev Microbiol. 71:753–775. 2017.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
46	Osset-Trénor P, Pascual-Ahuir A and Proft M: Fungal drug response and antimicrobial resistance. J Fungi (Basel). 9(565)2023.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar
47	Sanglard D, Ischer F, Parkinson T, Falconer D and Bille J: Candida albicans mutations in the ergosterol biosynthetic pathway and resistance to several antifungal agents. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 47:2404–2412. 2003.PubMed/NCBI View Article : Google Scholar