Diversity and genetic lineages of environmental staphylococci: a surface water overview. - Related Documents




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395101.0000Diversity and genetic lineages of environmental staphylococci: a surface water overview. Antimicrobial resistance in the environmental dimension is one of the greatest challenges and emerging threats. The presence of resistant bacteria and resistance genes in the environment, especially in aquatic systems, has been a matter of growing concern in the past decade. Monitoring the presence of antimicrobial resistance species, in this particular case, Staphylococcus spp., in natural water environments could lead to a better understanding of the epidemiology of staphylococci infections. Thus, the investigation of natural waters as a potential reservoir and vehicle for transmission of these bacteria is imperative. Only a few studies have investigated the prevalence, antimicrobial resistance and genetic lineages of staphylococci in natural waters. Those studies reported a high diversity of staphylococci species and lineages in surface waters. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus were relatively prevalent in surface waters and, as expected, often presented a multidrug-resistant profile. There was a high diversity of S. aureus lineages in surface waters. The presence of S. aureus CC8 and CC5 suggests a human origin. Among the coagulase-negative staphylococci, the most frequently found in natural waters was S. warneri and S. epidermidis. These studies are extremely important to estimate the contribution of the aquatic environment in the spread of pathogenic bacteria.202032949464
395010.9999Occurrence and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria on animal farms and in their vicinity in Poland and Ukraine-review. Intensive animal farming emits to the environment very high concentrations of bioaerosol, mainly composed of microorganisms, including antibiotics resistant strains, and their derivatives. Poland is a significant producer of poultry and swine in Europe; Ukraine is located in the immediate vicinity of Poland and the EU. Thus, the review focuses on the presence of potentially pathogenic and antimicrobial-resistant zoonotic bacteria and antimicrobial genes in the environment of farms and food of animal origin in Poland and Ukraine. Existing data confirms presence of these bacteria in the food animal origin chain environment in both countries. However, it is difficult to compare the scale of multidrug-resistant bacteria (e.g. MRSA, ESBL) dissemination in Poland and Ukraine with other EU countries due to lack of more extensive studies and large-scale monitoring in these two countries. A series of studies concerning resistance of pathogenic bacteria isolated from livestock environment have been published in Poland but usually on single farms with a very limited number of samples, and without a genotypic drug resistance marking. From Ukraine are available only few reports, but also disturbing. The risk of antibiotic-resistant bacteria transmission does not only concern animal farming, but also other facilities of animal origin food supply chains, especially slaughterhouses.202234870776
394020.9999Chicken Meat-Associated Enterococci: Influence of Agricultural Antibiotic Use and Connection to the Clinic. Industrial farms are unique, human-created ecosystems that provide the perfect setting for the development and dissemination of antibiotic resistance. Agricultural antibiotic use amplifies naturally occurring resistance mechanisms from soil ecologies, promoting their spread and sharing with other bacteria, including those poised to become endemic within hospital environments. To better understand the role of enterococci in the movement of antibiotic resistance from farm to table to clinic, we characterized over 300 isolates of Enterococcus cultured from raw chicken meat purchased at U.S. supermarkets by the Consumers Union in 2013. Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium were the predominant species found, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing uncovered striking levels of resistance to medically important antibiotic classes, particularly from classes approved by the FDA for use in animal production. While nearly all isolates were resistant to at least one drug, bacteria from meat labeled as raised without antibiotics had fewer resistances, particularly for E. faecium Whole-genome sequencing of 92 isolates revealed that both commensal- and clinical-isolate-like enterococcal strains were associated with chicken meat, including isolates bearing important resistance-conferring elements and virulence factors. The ability of enterococci to persist in the food system positions them as vehicles to move resistance genes from the industrial farm ecosystem into more human-proximal ecologies.IMPORTANCE Bacteria that contaminate food can serve as a conduit for moving drug resistance genes from farm to table to clinic. Our results show that chicken meat-associated isolates of Enterococcus are often multidrug resistant, closely related to pathogenic lineages, and harbor worrisome virulence factors. These drug-resistant agricultural isolates could thus represent important stepping stones in the evolution of enterococci into drug-resistant human pathogens. Although significant efforts have been made over the past few years to reduce the agricultural use of antibiotics, continued assessment of agricultural practices, including the roles of processing plants, shared breeding flocks, and probiotics as sources for resistance spread, is needed in order to slow the evolution of antibiotic resistance. Because antibiotic resistance is a global problem, global policies are needed to address this threat. Additional measures must be taken to mitigate the development and spread of antibiotic resistance elements from farms to clinics throughout the world.201931471308
392930.9998Genetic basis of antibiotic resistance in bovine mastitis and its possible implications for human and ecological health. Bovine mastitis is a mammary gland inflammation that can occur due to infectious pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, which are, respectively, the most prevalent Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria associated with this disease. Currently, antibiotic treatment has become more complicated due to the presence of resistant pathogens. This review, therefore, aims to identify the most common resistance genes reported for these strains in the last four years. During the review, it was noted that bla(Z), bla(SHV,) bla(TEM), and bla(ampC) are the most reported genes for S. aureus and E. coli, associated with drug inactivation, mainly β-lactamases. They are characterized by generating bacterial resistance to β-lactam antibiotics, the most common treatment in animal and human bacterial treatments (penicillins and cephalosporins, among others). Genes associated with efflux systems were also present in the two strains and included norA, tetA, tetC, and tetK, which generate resistance to macrolide and tetracycline antibiotics. Additionally, the effects of spreading resistance between animals and humans through direct contact (such as consumption of contaminated milk) or indirect contact (through environmental contamination) has been deeply discussed, emphasizing the importance of having adequate sanitation and antibiotic control and administration protocols.202538916977
459640.9998Relationship between virulence factors and antimicrobial resistance in Staphylococcus aureus from bovine mastitis. OBJECTIVES: This review summarizes the literature on the role of virulence and antimicrobial resistance genes of Staphylococcus aureus in bovine mastitis, focusing on the association between these characteristics and their implications for public and animal health. CONCLUSIONS: There is the possibility of antimicrobial resistance gene exchange among different bacteria, which is of serious concern in livestock husbandry, as well as in the treatment of human staphylococcal infections.202032603906
389850.9998Enterococci as a One Health indicator of antimicrobial resistance. The rapid increase of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in humans and livestock is concerning. Antimicrobials are essential for the treatment of disease in modern day medicine, and their misuse in humans and food animals has contributed to an increase in the prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. Globally, antimicrobial resistance is recognized as a One Health problem affecting humans, animals, and environment. Enterococcal species are Gram-positive bacteria that are widely distributed in nature. Their occurrence, prevalence, and persistence across the One Health continuum make them an ideal candidate to study antimicrobial resistance from a One Health perspective. The objective of this review was to summarize the role of enterococci as an indicator of antimicrobial resistance across One Health sectors. We also briefly address the prevalence of enterococci in human, animal, and environmental settings. In addition, a 16S RNA gene-based phylogenetic tree was constructed to visualize the evolutionary relationship among enterococcal species and whether they segregate based on host environment. We also review the genomic basis of antimicrobial resistance in enterococcal species across the One Health continuum.202438696839
499060.9998From soil to surface water: exploring Klebsiella 's clonal lineages and antibiotic resistance odyssey in environmental health. In the last decade, the presence of resistant bacteria and resistance genes in the environment has been a cause for increasing concern. However, understanding of its contribution to the spread of bacteria remains limited, as the scarcity of studies on how and under what circumstances the environment facilitates the development of resistance poses challenges in mitigating the emergence and spread of mobile resistance factors. Antimicrobial resistance in the environment is considered one of the biggest challenges and threats currently emerging. Thus, monitoring the presence of antibiotic-resistant species, in this particular case, Klebsiella spp., in the environment can be an added value for understanding the epidemiology of infections caused by Klebsiella spp.. Investigating soils and waters as potential reservoirs and transmission vehicles for these bacteria is imperative. Therefore, in this review, we aimed to describe the main genetic lineages present in environmental samples, as well as to describe the multidrug resistance strains associated with each environmental source. The studies analyzed in this review reported a high diversity of species and strains of Klebsiella spp. in the environment. K. pneumoniae was the most prevalent species, both in soil and water samples, and, as expected, often presented a multi-resistant profile. The presence of K. pneumoniae ST11, ST15, and ST147 suggests human and animal origin. Concerning surface waters, there was a great diversity of species and STs of Klebsiella spp. These studies are crucial for assessing the environmental contribution to the spread of pathogenic bacteria.202540012032
498670.9998Towards the standardization of Enterococcus culture methods for waterborne antibiotic resistance monitoring: A critical review of trends across studies. Antibiotic resistance is a major 21(st) century One Health (humans, animals, environment) challenge whose spread limits options to treat bacterial infections. There is growing interest in monitoring water environments, including surface water and wastewater, which have been identified as key recipients, pathways, and sources of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB). Aquatic environments also facilitate the transmission and amplification of ARB. Enterococcus spp. often carry clinically-important antibiotic resistance genes and are of interest as environmental monitoring targets. Enterococcus spp. are Gram-positive bacteria that are typically of fecal origin; however, they are also found in relevant environmental niches, with various species and strains that are opportunistic human pathogens. Although the value of environmental monitoring of antibiotic-resistant Enterococcus has been recognized by both national and international organizations, lack of procedural standardization has hindered generation of comparable data needed to implement integrated surveillance programs. Here we provide a comprehensive methodological review to assess the techniques used for the culturing and characterization of antibiotic-resistant Enterococcus across water matrices for the purpose of environmental monitoring. We analyzed 117 peer-reviewed articles from 33 countries across six continents. The goal of this review is to provide a critical analysis of (i) the various methods applied globally for isolation, confirmation, and speciation of Enterococcus isolates, (ii) the different methods for profiling antibiotic resistance among enterococci, and (iii) the current prevalence of resistance to clinically-relevant antibiotics among Enterococcus spp. isolated from various environments. Finally, we provide advice regarding a path forward for standardizing culturing of Enterococcus spp. for the purpose of antibiotic resistance monitoring in wastewater and wastewater-influenced waters within a global surveillance framework.202236466738
394980.9998Antibiotic resistance in wildlife from Antarctic Peninsula. Although considered one of the most pristine ecosystems, Antarctica has been largely influenced by human activities during the last 50 years, affecting its unique biodiversity. One of the major global threats to health is the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that may be actively transferred to wildlife. We cultured and tested for antibiotic resistance in 137 cloacal and fresh fecal samples of several avian and marine mammal species from the Antarctic Peninsula, the most impacted area in Antarctica. Alarmingly, 80 % of the isolates showed antibiotic resistance, either phenotypically or genotypically. Most of the resistant bacteria, such as Enterobacteriaceae and Enterococcus species, are part of local gastrointestinal microbiota. Penguins and pinnipeds harbored a great diversity of antibiotic resistance and must be eligible as sentinels for future studies. These results show that antibiotic resistance has rapidly transferred to bacteria in Antarctic wildlife, which is a global matter of concern.202438278249
393990.9998Antimicrobial resistance of zoonotic and commensal bacteria in Europe: the missing link between consumption and resistance in veterinary medicine. The emergence of resistance in food animals has been associated to the consumption of antimicrobials in veterinary medicine. Consequently, monitoring programs have been designed to monitor the occurrence of antimicrobial resistant bacteria. This study analyses the amount of antimicrobial agents used in nine European countries from 2005 to 2011, and compares by univariate analysis the correlations between consumptions of each of the following antimicrobial classes; tetracycline, penicillins, cephalosporins, quinolones and macrolides. An overview of resistance in zoonotic and commensal bacteria in Europe focusing on Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Campylobacter sp. and Enterococcus sp., during the same period of time based on monitoring programs is also assessed. With the exception of cephalosporins, linear regressions showed strong positive associations between the consumption of the four different antimicrobial classes. Substantial differences between countries were observed in the amount of antimicrobials used to produce 1 kg of meat. Moreover, large variations in proportions of resistant bacteria were reported by the different countries, suggesting differences in veterinary practice. Despite the withdrawn of a specific antimicrobial from "on farm" use, persistence over the years of bacteria resistant to this particular antimicrobial agent, was still observed. There were also differences in trends of resistance associated to specific animal species. In order to correlate the use of antimicrobial agents to the presence of resistance, surveillance of antimicrobial consumption by animal species should be established. Subsequently, intervention strategies could be designed to minimize the occurrence of resistance.201424589430
3405100.9998Practical implications of erythromycin resistance gene diversity on surveillance and monitoring of resistance. Use of antibiotics in human and animal medicine has applied selective pressure for the global dissemination of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Therefore, it is of interest to develop strategies to mitigate the continued amplification and transmission of resistance genes in environmental reservoirs such as farms, hospitals and watersheds. However, the efficacy of mitigation strategies is difficult to evaluate because it is unclear which resistance genes are important to monitor, and which primers to use to detect those genes. Here, we evaluated the diversity of one type of macrolide antibiotic resistance gene (erm) in one type of environment (manure) to determine which primers would be most informative to use in a mitigation study of that environment. We analyzed all known erm genes and assessed the ability of previously published erm primers to detect the diversity. The results showed that all known erm resistance genes group into 66 clusters, and 25 of these clusters (40%) can be targeted with primers found in the literature. These primers can target 74%-85% of the erm gene diversity in the manures analyzed.201829346541
6627110.9998Antibiotic resistance profiles on pathogenic bacteria in the Brazilian environments. The present study aimed to elaborate a review of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria in soil, food, aquatic environments, cattle, poultry, and swine farms in Brazil. Initially, the literature database for published papers from 2012 to 2023 was Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), U.S. National Library of Medicine (PubMed), and Google Scholar, through the descriptors: antimicrobial resistance, resistance profile, multidrug resistance, environmental bacteria, and pathogenic bacteria. The studies demonstrated the prevalence of pathogenic and resistant bacteria in environments that favor their rapid dissemination. Bacteria of medical importance, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., Vibrio spp., were present in samples from animal farms and foods, including cheese and milk, urban aquatic environments, hospital effluents, and shrimp farms. Studies suggested that important bacteria have been disseminated through different niches with easy contact with humans, animals, and food, demonstrating the danger of the emergence of increasingly difficult conditions for treating and controlling these infections. Thus, better understanding and characterizing the resistance profiles of bacteria in these regions, mainly referring to MDR bacteria, can help develop solutions to prevent the progression of this public health problem.202337043091
4988120.9998Oh, deer! How worried should we be about the diversity and abundance of the faecal resistome of red deer? The emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global threat to public health. Antimicrobials are used in animal production and human medicine, which contribute to the circulation of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment. Wildlife can be reservoirs of pathogens and resistant bacteria. Furthermore, anthropogenic pressure can influence their resistome. This work aimed to study the AMR of the faecal microbiome of red deer, one of the most important game species in Europe. To this end, a high-throughput qPCR approach was employed to screen a high number of ARGs and the antimicrobial susceptibility of indicator bacteria was determined. Several genes that confer resistance to different classes of antibiotics were identified, with the most abundant being tetracycline ARGs. Other genes were also present that are considered current and future threats to human health, and some of these were relatively abundant. Multidrug-resistant E. coli and Enterococcus spp. were isolated, although the overall level of antibiotic resistance was low. These results highlight the pressing need to know the origin and transmission of AMR in wildlife. Thus, and considering the One Health concept, studies such as this one shows the need for surveillance programs to prevent the spread of drug-resistant strains and ARGs.202235151727
3724130.9998A phenotypic study of the resistome in a peri-urban ecosystem. Since the discovery of antibiotics, the dispersion of resistance genes has increased exponentially, leading to the current state in which it has become increasingly difficult to achieve an effective treatment for infectious diseases. The enormous capacity for genetic exchange between microorganisms is causing resistance genes to be able to reach all environments, even those where there is no anthropogenic impact or exposure to these drugs. In this work, a phenotypic study of the resistome has been conducted in a peri-urban ecosystem (Granada, Spain), wherein the resistance to 32 antibiotics of 710 bacterial strains isolated from 70 samples from different ecological niches with varying levels of exposure to antibiotics and anthropic action has been determined. The study of resistances using phenotypic procedures constitutes a very useful and complementary alternative to genomic methods. The obtained results show a high percentage of resistance in all the subsystems analysed, stating high multi-resistance profiles. Vancomycin and erythromycin were the antibiotics to which the highest levels of resistance were observed, whereas the lowest levels were obtained in chloramphenicol. Regarding the environments studied, the highest percentages of resistance were found in wastewater, farms and food. It should be noted that in natural soil samples (not exposed to antibiotics or anthropogenic activities), worrying levels of resistance to practically all the groups of antibiotics analysed were detected. These results support the generally accepted conclusion that an appropriate control and management of wastewater and solid waste that may contain antibiotics or resistant bacteria is really important to prevent the wide propagation of the resistome in the environment.202539557147
3900140.9998Antimicrobial resistance pattern in domestic animal - wildlife - environmental niche via the food chain to humans with a Bangladesh perspective; a systematic review. BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing concern globally, but the impact is very deleterious in the context of Bangladesh. Recent review article on the AMR issue demonstrates the scenario in human medicine; unfortunately, no attempt was taken to address this as One Health issue. The antimicrobial resistance bacteria or genes are circulating in the fragile ecosystems and disseminate into human food chain through direct or indirect ways. In this systematic review we are exploring the mechanism or the process of development of resistance pathogen into human food chain via the domestic animal, wildlife and environmental sources in the context of One Health and future recommendation to mitigate this issue in Bangladesh. RESULTS: Tetracycline resistance genes were presenting in almost all sample sources in higher concentrations against enteric pathogen Escherichia coli. The second most significant antibiotics are amino-penicillin that showed resistant pattern across different source of samples. It is a matter of concerns that cephalosporin tends to acquire resistance in wildlife species that might be an indication of this antibiotic resistance gene or the pathogen been circulating in our surrounding environment though the mechanism is still unclear. CONCLUSIONS: Steps to control antibiotic release and environmental disposal from all uses should be immediate and obligatory. There is a need for detailed system biology analysis of resistance development in-situ.202032838793
3930150.9998Class 1 integron in staphylococci. As a major concern in public health, methicillin-resistant staphylococci (MRS) still remains one of the most prevalent pathogens that cause nosocomial infections throughout the world and has been recently labeled as a "super bug" in antibiotic resistance. Thus, surveillance and investigation on antibiotic resistance mechanisms involved in clinical MRS strains may raise urgent necessity and utmost significance. As a novel antibiotic resistance mechanism, class 1 integron has been identified as a primary source of antimicrobial resistance genes in Gram-negative organisms. However, most available studies on integrons had been limited within Gram-negative microbes, little is known for clinical Gram-positive bacteria. Based on series studies of systematic integrons investigation in hundreds of staphylococci strains during 2001-2006, this review concentrated on the latest development of class 1 integron in MRS isolates, including summary of prevalence and occurrence of class 1 integron, analysis of correlation between integron and antibiotic resistance, further demonstration of the role integrons play as antibiotic determinants, as well as origin and evolution of integron-associated gene cassettes during this study period.201121258866
3936160.9998Impact of antibiotic use in the swine industry. Antibiotic resistance in bacteria associated with pigs not only affects pig production but also has an impact on human health through the transfer of resistant organisms and associated genes via the food chain. This can compromise treatment of human infections. In the past most attention was paid to glycopeptide and streptogramin resistance in enterococci, fluoroquinolone resistance in campylobacter and multi-drug resistance in Escherichia coli and salmonella. While these are still important the focus has shifted to ESBL producing organisms selected by the use of ceftiofur and cefquinome in pigs. In addition Livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) suddenly emerged in 2007. We also need to consider multi-resistant strains of Streptococcus suis. Environmental contamination arising from piggery wastewater and spreading of manure slurry on pastures is also a growing problem.201424959754
3941170.9998Antibiotic Resistance among Gastrointestinal Bacteria in Broilers: A Review Focused on Enterococcus spp. and Escherichia coli. Chickens can acquire bacteria at different stages, and bacterial diversity can occur due to production practices, diet, and environment. The changes in consumer trends have led to increased animal production, and chicken meat is one of the most consumed meats. To ensure high levels of production, antimicrobials have been used in livestock for therapeutic purposes, disease prevention, and growth promotion, contributing to the development of antimicrobial resistance across the resident microbiota. Enterococcus spp. and Escherichia coli are normal inhabitants of the gastrointestinal microbiota of chickens that can develop strains capable of causing a wide range of diseases, i.e., opportunistic pathogens. Enterococcus spp. isolated from broilers have shown resistance to at least seven classes of antibiotics, while E. coli have shown resistance to at least four. Furthermore, some clonal lineages, such as ST16, ST194, and ST195 in Enterococcus spp. and ST117 in E. coli, have been identified in humans and animals. These data suggest that consuming contaminated animal-source food, direct contact with animals, or environmental exposure can lead to the transmission of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. Therefore, this review focused on Enterococcus spp. and E. coli from the broiler industry to better understand how antibiotic-resistant strains have emerged, which antibiotic-resistant genes are most common, what clonal lineages are shared between broilers and humans, and their impact through a One Health perspective.202337106925
4320180.9998The mobilome landscape of biocide-resistance in Brazilian ESKAPE isolates. The increasing frequency of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a constant threat to global human health. Therefore, the pathogens of the ESKAPE group (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Enterobacter spp.) are among the most relevant causes of hospital infections responsible for millions of deaths every year. However, little has been explored about the danger of microorganisms resistant to biocides such as antiseptics and disinfectants. Widely used in domestic, industrial, and hospital environments, these substances reach the environment and can cause selective pressure for resistance genes and induce cross-resistance to antibiotics, further aggravating the problem. Therefore, it is necessary to use innovative and efficient strategies to monitor the spread of genes related to resistance to biocides. Whole genome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis aiming to search for sequences encoding resistance mechanisms are essential to help monitor and combat these pathogens. Thus, this work describes the construction of a bioinformatics tool that integrates different databases to identify gene sequences that may confer some resistance advantage about biocides. Furthermore, the tool analyzed all the genomes of Brazilian ESKAPE isolates deposited at NCBI and found a series of different genes related to resistance to benzalkonium chloride, chlorhexidine, and triclosan, which were the focus of this work. As a result, the presence of resistance genes was identified in different types of biological samples, environments, and hosts. Regarding mobile genetic elements (MGEs), around 52% of isolates containing genes related to resistance to these compounds had their genes identified in plasmids, and 48.7% in prophages. These data show that resistance to biocides can be a silent, underestimated danger spreading across different environments and, therefore, requires greater attention.202439028534
4987190.9998The Human Health Implications of Antibiotic Resistance in Environmental Isolates from Two Nebraska Watersheds. One Health field-based approaches are needed to connect the occurrence of antibiotics present in the environment with the presence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in Gram-negative bacteria that confer resistance to antibiotics important in for both veterinary and human health. Water samples from two Nebraska watersheds influenced by wastewater effluent and agricultural runoff were tested for the presence of antibiotics used in veterinary and human medicine. The water samples were also cultured to identify the bacteria present. Of those bacteria isolated, the Gram-negative rods capable of causing human infections had antimicrobial susceptibility testing and whole-genome sequencing (WGS) performed to identify ARGs present. Of the 211 bacterial isolates identified, 37 belonged to pathogenic genera known to cause human infections. Genes conferring resistance to beta-lactams, aminoglycosides, fosfomycins, and quinolones were the most frequently detected ARGs associated with horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in the watersheds. WGS also suggest recent HGT events involving ARGs transferred between watershed isolates and bacteria of human and animal origins. The results of this study demonstrate the linkage of antibiotics and bacterial ARGs present in the environment with potential human and/or veterinary health impacts. IMPORTANCE One health is a transdisciplinary approach to achieve optimal health for humans, animals, plants and their shared environment, recognizing the interconnected nature of health in these domains. Field based research is needed to connect the occurrence of antibiotics used in veterinary medicine and human health with the presence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). In this study, the presence of antibiotics, bacteria and ARGs was determined in two watersheds in Nebraska, one with agricultural inputs and the other with both agricultural and wastewater inputs. The results presented in this study provide evidence of transfer of highly mobile ARG between environment, clinical, and animal-associated bacteria.202235311538