Acquired Genetic Mechanisms of a Multiresistant Bacterium Isolated from a Treatment Plant Receiving Wastewater from Antibiotic Production

Abstract

The external environment, particularly wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), where environmental bacteria meet human commensals and pathogens in large numbers, has been highlighted as a potential breeding ground for antibiotic resistance. We have isolated the extensively drug-resistant Ochrobactrum intermedium CCUG 57381 from an Indian WWTP receiving industrial wastewater from pharmaceutical production contaminated with high levels of quinolones. Antibiotic susceptibility testing against 47 antibiotics showed that the strain was 4 to >500 times more resistant to sulfonamides, quinolones, tetracyclines, macrolides, and the aminoglycoside streptomycin than the type strain O. intermedium LMG 3301 T . Whole-genome sequencing identified mutations in the Indian strain causing amino acid substitutions in the target enzymes of quinolones. We also characterized three acquired regions containing resistance genes to sulfonamides (sul1), tetracyclines [tet(G) and tetR], and chloramphenicol/ florfenicol (floR). Furthermore, the Indian strain harbored acquired mechanisms for horizontal gene transfer, including a type I mating pair-forming system (MPF I ), a MOB P relaxase, and insertion sequence transposons. Our results highlight that WWTPs serving antibiotic manufacturing may provide nearly ideal conditions for the recruitment of resistance genes into human commensal and pathogenic bacteria.

In Vitro Activity of Five Quinolones and Analysis of the Quinolone Resistance-Determining Regions of gyrA , gyrB , parC , and parE in Ureaplasma parvum and Ureaplasma urealyticum Clinical Isolates from Perinatal Patients in Japan

“…The S83L and S83W mutations were detected in the gyrA gene of E. coli and Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (S84W) (29,30). A GyrA A87V/S88P (corresponding to positions 83 and 84, respectively, in Escherichia coli) double mutant was recently reported in multidrug-resistant Ochrobactrum intermedium (31). In Ureaplasma spp., the mutation corresponding to S83L is located in the parC gene.…”

Limited Bacterial Diversity within a Treatment Plant Receiving Antibiotic-Containing Waste from Bulk Drug Production

“…Studies on penicillin and oxytetracycline production in China indicated an enrichment of antibiotic resistant bacteria and mobile genetic elements during biological treatment of antibiotic-contaminated waste [2, 3]. We have previously studied an industrial waste water treatment plant (WWTP) in Patancheru, India operated by Patancheru Environment Technology Limited (PETL) [4, 5, 6, 7, 8]. Treated effluent from PETL, which receives waste from a large number of production units, was contaminated by a range of drugs including broad spectrum fluoroquinolone antibiotics like ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin and norfloxacin at very high concentrations [4].…”

Affinity sensor based on immobilized molecular imprinted synthetic recognition elements

“…The release of e.g. antibiotics has contributed to the creation of multiresistant bacteria (Johnning et al, 2013;Kristiansson et al, 2011;Marathe et al, 2013). Therefore, surveillance of these threats to the quality of surface water is becoming increasingly important and urgent.…”