Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria Isolated from Different Aquatic Environments in the North of Spain and South of France

Abstract

Due to the global progress of antimicrobial resistance, the World Health Organization (WHO) published the list of the antibiotic-resistant “priority pathogens” in order to promote research and development of new antibiotics to the families of bacteria that cause severe and often deadly infections. In the framework of the One Health approach, the surveillance of these pathogens in different environments should be implemented in order to analyze their spread and the potential risk of transmission of antibiotic resistances by food and water. Therefore, the objective of this work was to determine the presence of high and critical priority pathogens included in the aforementioned list in different aquatic environments in the POCTEFA area (North Spain–South France). In addition to these pathogens, detection of colistin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae was included due its relevance as being the antibiotic of choice to treat infections caused by multidrug resistant bacteria (MDR). From the total of 80 analyzed samples, 100% of the wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and collectors (from hospitals and slaughterhouses) and 96.4% of the rivers, carried antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) against the tested antibiotics. Fifty-five (17.7%) of the isolates were identified as target microorganisms (high and critical priority pathogens of WHO list) and 58.2% (n = 32) of them came from WWTPs and collectors. Phenotypic and genotypic characterization showed that 96.4% were MDR and resistance to penicillins/cephalosporins was the most widespread. The presence of bla genes, KPC-type carbapenemases, mcr-1 and vanB genes has been confirmed. In summary, the presence of clinically relevant MDR bacteria in the studied aquatic environments demonstrates the need to improve surveillance and treatments of wastewaters from slaughterhouses, hospitals and WWTPs, in order to minimize the dispersion of resistance through the effluents of these areas.

Clinically Relevant β-Lactam Resistance Genes in Wastewater Treatment Plants

“…They noticed that, among β-lactam-resistant ARB, almost all (97%) were confirmed to possess ESBL or pAmpC, and among pAmpC, all were detected as carrying the bla CMY-2 variant [ 116 ]. This variant, as well as others representing the CMY and DHA families, were detected in many other European studies of WWTPs from Germany [ 123 , 135 , 136 ], Romania [ 85 ], Sweden [ 96 , 109 ], Portugal [ 88 , 110 ], Poland [ 92 , 93 ], Slovakia [ 115 ], and Spain [ 188 ], as well as in studies conducted in Africa [ 127 ], North America [ 80 , 90 , 102 , 147 , 189 ], South America [ 87 ], and Asia [ 77 , 107 ]. Interestingly, Yim et al investigated samples for plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance genes from a WWTP in Canada and detected the presence of qnrB4-AmpC ( bla DHA-1 ) genes in plasmids among Citrobacter freundii isolates.…”

Antibacterial Activity of Kaolin–Silver Nanomaterials: Alternative Approach to the Use of Antibiotics in Animal Production

“…In addition, two species of Salmonella are included, given their relationship with infections transmitted in the animal environment. Finally, antibiotic resistant bacteria isolated from different aquatic and farm environments from POCTEFA territory [ 41 ] and clinical origin completed the strain selection. All resistant strains were previously identified and characterized phenotypically and genotypically, to know the pattern of susceptibility to antimicrobials, the types of β-lactamase and the genes involved in resistance to methicillin ( mecA ), colistin ( mcr ) and vancomycin ( vanB ) [ 41 ].…”

“…Finally, antibiotic resistant bacteria isolated from different aquatic and farm environments from POCTEFA territory [41] and clinical origin completed the strain selection. All resistant strains were previously identified and characterized phenotypically and genotypically, to know the pattern of susceptibility to antimicrobials, the types of β-lactamase and the genes involved in resistance to methicillin (mecA), colistin (mcr) and vancomycin (vanB) [41]. From the set of frozen strains (−80 • C) the working strains were prepared by spreading in general media (TSA; Scharlau, Sentmenat, Barcelona) and incubating at 37 • C for 24 h. The strains were kept refrigerated (5 • C ± 3 • C), making periodic passages to fresh media for the different tests (incubation at 37 • C for 24 h).…”

Resistant Genes and Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria in Wastewater: A Study of Their Transfer to the Water Reservoir in the Czech Republic

“…The multidrug resistance of opportunistic pathogens causes major problems in the treatment of infections and thus poses a significant threat to morbidity and mortality worldwide [61]. Confirmation of the presence of multidrug-resistant bacterial strains in wastewaters has only strengthened the hypothesis that horizontal gene transfer may occur between the same and different bacterial species [66]. We found that neither the sampling environment nor the different sampling times affected the development of multidrug resistance in isolated bacterial strains in wastewater and then dam water (p > 0.05).…”