Antibiotic-manufacturing sites are hot-spots for the release and spread of antibiotic resistance genes and mobile genetic elements in receiving aquatic environments

Gonzalez-Plaza, Juan Jose; Blau, Khald; Milaković, Milena; Jurina, Tamara; Smalla, Kornelia; Udiković-Kolić, Nikolina (2019) Antibiotic-manufacturing sites are hot-spots for the release and spread of antibiotic resistance genes and mobile genetic elements in receiving aquatic environments. Environment International, 130 . ISSN 0160-4120

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Abstract

High antibiotic releases from manufacturing facilities have been identified as a risk factor for antibiotic resistance development in bacterial pathogens. However, the role of antibiotic pollution in selection and transferability of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) is still limited. In this study, we analyzed effluents from azithromycin- synthesis and veterinary-drug formulation facilities as well as sediments from receiving river and creek taken at the effluent discharge sites, upstream and downstream of discharge. Culturing showed that the effluent discharge significantly increased the proportion of antibiotic resistant bacteria in exposed sediments compared to the upstream ones. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed that effluents from both industries contained high and similar relative abundances of resistance genes [sul1, sul2, qacE/qacEΔ1, tet(A)], class 1 integrons (intI1) and IncP-1 plasmids (korB). Consequently, these genes significantly increased in relative abundances in receiving sediments, with more pronounced effects being observed for river than for creek sediments due to lower background levels of the investigated genes in the river. In addition, effluent discharge considerably increased transfer frequencies of captured ARGs from exposed sediments into Escherichia coli CV601 recipient as shown by biparental mating experiments. Most plasmids exogenously captured from effluent and polluted sediments belonged to the broad host range IncP-1ε plasmid group, conferred multiple antibiotic resistance and harbored class 1 integrons. Discharge of pharmaceutical waste from antibiotic manufacturing sites thus poses a risk for development and dissemination of multi-resistant bacteria, including pathogens.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	plasmid capture; antibiotic pollution; manufacturing; antibiotic resistance; intI1; IncP-1
Subjects:	NATURAL SCIENCES > Biology > Ecology NATURAL SCIENCES > Interdisciplinary Natural Sciences > Marine Science NATURAL SCIENCES > Interdisciplinary Natural Sciences > Environmental Science
Divisions:	Division for Marine and Enviromental Research
Projects:	Project title Project leader Project code Project type Istraživanje utjecaja otpadnih voda iz farmaceutskih industrija na sastav i profil antibiotičke rezistencije izloženih mirkobnih zajednica u slatkovodnim sedimentima-WINAR Nikolina Udiković Kolić UIP-2014-09-9350 HRZZ
Depositing User:	Ivana Pažur
Date Deposited:	03 Jul 2019 08:20
URI:	http://fulir.irb.hr/id/eprint/4650
DOI:	10.1016/j.envint.2019.04.007

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