Food Animals and Retail Meat as Emerging Source of Beta‐Lactamase Gene Carrying Virulent Non– baumannii Acinetobacter spp. in Meghalaya, India

Non– baumannii Acinetobacter (NBA) are increasingly recognized as reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) along the food chain, although data from livestock and meat remain scarce, particularly for blaNDM‐positive isolates. In this study, 450 samples were collected in Meghalaya, India, including cattle and pig rectal swabs, chicken meat, and pork. Acinetobacter spp. were isolated, genus identity was confirmed by PCR, and species were identified by partial rpoB sequencing. Antimicrobial susceptibility to cefotaxime, imipenem, meropenem, colistin, ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, and gentamicin was assessed by disk diffusion, and 12 ARGs, including bla NDM, were screened by PCR. Biofilm formation, biofilm‐associated genes (bap, ompA, csuE, pgaB, and blaPER‐1), motility, and hemolysis were evaluated, with hierarchical clustering performed on binary‐encoded phenotypes and genes. Overall, 28 NBA isolates were recovered: 10 from pork, 10 from pig rectal swabs, 6 from cattle rectal swabs, and 2 from chicken meat. The species included Acinetobacter bereziniae ( n = 10), Acinetobacter seifertii (1), Acinetobacter soli (2), Acinetobacter towneri (3), Acinetobacter ursingii (3), Acinetobacter indicus (4), Acinetobacter nosocomialis (4), and one Acinetobacter sp. Most pig‐associated isolates belonged to A. bereziniae , A. seifertii , A. soli , or A. ursingii . All 28 isolates were susceptible to colistin, ciprofloxacin, and gentamicin; 11 were resistant to cefotaxime, 2 to carbapenems, and 3 to tetracycline. ARGs were detected in 25 isolates, with bla NDM (14/28) and bla TEM (11/28) being the most common, followed by tet B (8/28), tet A (6/28), bla KPC (2/28), bla OXA‐23 (2/28), bla OXA‐51‐like (1/28), and qnr A (1/28). All isolates formed biofilms (16 strong and 11 moderate), and 24 carried at least one biofilm‐associated gene. Hierarchical clustering revealed pig‐associated clusters enriched for multiple ARGs and biofilm‐related traits. These results demonstrate frequent bla NDM carriage and strong biofilm‐forming ability among NBA from cattle, pigs, and retail meat in India. The findings expand the known distribution of bla NDM‐positive NBA to Indian livestock and meat products and suggest that pig‐associated lineages may serve as important reservoirs of biofilm‐producing, ARG‐rich NBA, highlighting the need for ongoing surveillance.