Wastewater treatment plants as a reservoir of integrase and antibiotic resistance genes – An epidemiological threat to workers and environment

Zieliński, W.; Korzeniewska, Ewa; Harnisz, Monika; Drzymała, Justyna; Felis, Ewa; Bajkacz, Sylwia

doi:10.1016/j.envint.2021.106641

Cited by 115 publications

(62 citation statements)

References 85 publications

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“…4 ). Class I integrons carrying intI1 have previously been shown to be the most abundant class of integrons in WWTPs and often contain clinically important ARGs [ 9 , 18 , 72 ]. Concordantly, intI1 was the most abundant integrase detected in all treatments with a mean of 1.14 × 10 4 gene copies per mL and 4.00 × 10 3 gene copies per ng DNA (Fig.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Metagenomic community composition and resistome analysis in a full-scale cold climate wastewater treatment plant

Jankowski

Gan

et al. 2022

Environmental Microbiome

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Background Wastewater treatment plants are an essential part of maintaining the health and safety of the general public. However, they are also an anthropogenic source of antibiotic resistance genes. In this study, we characterized the resistome, the distribution of classes 1–3 integron-integrase genes (intI1, intI2, and intI3) as mobile genetic element biomarkers, and the bacterial and phage community compositions in the North End Sewage Treatment Plant in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Samples were collected from raw sewage, returned activated sludge, final effluent, and dewatered sludge. A total of 28 bacterial and viral metagenomes were sequenced over two seasons, fall and winter. Integron-integrase genes, the 16S rRNA gene, and the coliform beta-glucuronidase gene were also quantified during this time period. Results Bacterial classes observed above 1% relative abundance in all treatments were Actinobacteria (39.24% ± 0.25%), Beta-proteobacteria (23.99% ± 0.16%), Gamma-proteobacteria (11.06% ± 0.09%), and Alpha-proteobacteria (9.18 ± 0.04%). Families within the Caudovirales order: Siphoviridae (48.69% ± 0.10%), Podoviridae (23.99% ± 0.07%), and Myoviridae (19.94% ± 0.09%) were the dominant phage observed throughout the NESTP. The most abundant bacterial genera (in terms of average percent relative abundance) in influent, returned activated sludge, final effluent, and sludge, respectively, includes Mycobacterium (37.4%, 18.3%, 46.1%, and 7.7%), Acidovorax (8.9%, 10.8%, 5.4%, and 1.3%), and Polaromonas (2.5%, 3.3%, 1.4%, and 0.4%). The most abundant class of antibiotic resistance in bacterial samples was tetracycline resistance (17.86% ± 0.03%) followed by peptide antibiotics (14.24% ± 0.03%), and macrolides (10.63% ± 0.02%). Similarly, the phage samples contained a higher prevalence of macrolide (30.12% ± 0.30%), peptide antibiotic (10.78% ± 0.13%), and tetracycline (8.69% ± 0.11%) resistance. In addition, intI1 was the most abundant integron-integrase gene throughout treatment (1.14 × 104 gene copies/mL) followed by intI3 (4.97 × 103 gene copies/mL) while intI2 abundance remained low (6.4 × 101 gene copies/mL). Conclusions Wastewater treatment successfully reduced the abundance of bacteria, DNA phage and antibiotic resistance genes although many antibiotic resistance genes remained in effluent and biosolids. The presence of integron-integrase genes throughout treatment and in effluent suggests that antibiotic resistance genes could be actively disseminating resistance between both environmental and pathogenic bacteria.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…4 ). The presence of intI1 is associated with specific resistance gene families such as streptomycin resistance genes ( aadA ), sulfonamide resistance genes ( sul1 and sul2 ), as well as captured beta-lactam resistance genes [ 18 , 72 – 74 ]. The findings of low GCN abundance of intI2 across the different treatments (Fig.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Metagenomic community composition and resistome analysis in a full-scale cold climate wastewater treatment plant

Jankowski

Gan

et al. 2022

Environmental Microbiome

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“…4). The presence of intI1 is associated with specific resistance gene families such as streptomycin resistance genes (aadA), sulfonamide resistance genes (sul1 and sul2), as well as captured beta-lactam resistance genes [18,[72][73][74]. The findings of low GCN abundance of intI2 across the different treatments (Fig.…”

Section: Comparison Of Gcn Across Treatments and Timementioning

confidence: 94%

Metagenomic Community Composition and Resistome Analysis in a Full-scale Cold Climate Wastewater Treatment Plant

Uyaguari¹

2021

Preprint

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Background: Wastewater treatment plants are an essential part of maintaining the health and safety of the general public. However, they are also an anthropogenic source of antibiotic resistance genes. In this study, we characterized the resistome, the distribution of classes 1-3 integron-integrase genes (intI1, intI2, and intI3) as mobile genetic element biomarkers, and the bacterial and phage community compositions in the North End Sewage Treatment Plant in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Samples were collected from raw sewage, returned activated sludge, final effluent, and dewatered sludge. A total of 28 bacterial and viral metagenomes were sequenced over two seasons, fall and winter. Integron-integrase genes, the 16S rRNA gene, and the coliform beta-glucuronidase gene were also quantified during this time period. Results: Bacterial classes observed above 1% relative abundance in all treatments were Actinobacteria (39.24% ± 0.25%), Beta-proteobacteria (23.99% ± 0.16%), Gamma-proteobacteria (11.06% ± 0.09%), and Alpha-proteobacteria (9.18 ± 0.04%). Families within the Caudovirales order: Siphoviridae (48.69% ± 0.10%), Podoviridae (23.99% ± 0.07%), and Myoviridae (19.94% ± 0.09%) were the dominant phage observed throughout the NESTP. The most abundant bacterial genera (in terms of average percent relative abundance) in influent, returned activated sludge, final effluent, and sludge, respectively, includes Mycobacterium (37.4%, 18.3%, 46.1%, and 7.7%), Acidovorax (8.9%, 10.8%, 5.4%, and 1.3%), and Polaromonas (2.5%, 3.3%, 1.4%, and 0.4%).The most abundant class of antibiotic resistance in bacterial samples was tetracycline resistance (17.86% ± 0.03%) followed by peptide antibiotics (14.24% ± 0.03%), and macrolides (10.63% ± 0.02%). Similarly, the phage samples contained a higher prevalence of macrolide (30.12% ± 0.30%), peptide antibiotic (10.78% ± 0.13%), and tetracycline (8.69% ± 0.11%) resistance. In addition, intI1 was the most abundant integron-integrase gene throughout treatment (1.14x104 gene copies/mL) followed by intI3 (4.97x103 gene copies/mL) while intI2 abundance remained low (6.4x101 gene copies/mL).Conclusions: The wastewater treatment plant successfully reduced the abundance of bacteria, DNA bacteriophages, and antibiotic resistance genes although many of them still remained in effluent and biosolids. The presence of integron-integrase genes throughout treatment and in effluent suggests that antibiotic resistance genes could be actively disseminating resistance between both environmental and pathogenic bacteria.

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“…Antibiotic therapy is also a risk factor for carriage of AR by individuals. Other potential risk factors include travels to high-risk areas for AR , nutrition (28,29), health status (21,25), and occupation (30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36)(37)(38)(39)(40)(41)(42)(43)(44)(45). However, most of the studies examining potential risk factors focus on high-risk populations such as travelers (8,10,14,18,20,25,26,46), healthcare workers and patients (39,44,45,47,48), swimmers (49)(50)(51), farmers (32)(33)(34)(35)37,38,40,42,43), and slaughterhouse workers (31), and often using small convenience samples of e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

International travel as a risk factor for carriage of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli in a large sample of European individuals - The AWARE Study

Rodríguez-Molina

Berglund

Blaak

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Antibiotic resistance (AR) is currently a major threat to global health, calling for a One Health approach to be properly understood, monitored, tackled, and managed. Potential risk factors for AR are often studied in specific high-risk populations, but are still poorly understood in the general population. Our aim was to explore, describe, and characterize potential risk factors for carriage of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-resistant E. coli (ESBL-EC) in a large sample of European individuals aged between 16 and 67 years recruited from the general population in Southern Germany, the Netherlands, and Romania. Questionnaire and stool sample collection for this cross-sectional study took place from September 2018 to March 2020. Selective culture of participants' stool samples was performed for detection of ESBL-EC. A total of 1,183 participants were included in the analyses: 333 from Germany, 689 from the Netherlands, and 161 from Romania. Travels to Northern Africa (aOR 4.03, 95% CI 1.67-9.68), Sub-Saharan Africa (aOR 4.60, 95% CI 1.60-13.26), and Asia (aOR 4.08, 95% CI 1.97-8.43) were identified as independent risk factors for carriage of ESBL-EC carriage. Therefore, travel to these regions should continue to be routinely inquired risk factors in clinical practice when considering antibiotic therapy.

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Wastewater treatment plants as a reservoir of integrase and antibiotic resistance genes – An epidemiological threat to workers and environment

Cited by 115 publications

References 85 publications

Metagenomic community composition and resistome analysis in a full-scale cold climate wastewater treatment plant

Metagenomic community composition and resistome analysis in a full-scale cold climate wastewater treatment plant

Metagenomic Community Composition and Resistome Analysis in a Full-scale Cold Climate Wastewater Treatment Plant

International travel as a risk factor for carriage of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli in a large sample of European individuals - The AWARE Study

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