# | Rank | Similarity | Title + Abs. | Year | PMID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 7171 | 0 | 1.0000 | Household waste-specific ambient air shows greater inhalable antimicrobial resistance risks in densely populated communities. Household waste is a hotspot of antibiotic resistance, which can be readily emitted to the ambient airborne inhalable particulate matters (PM(10)) during the day-long storage in communities. Nevertheless, whether these waste-specific inhalable antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are associated with pathogenic bacteria or pose hazards to local residents have yet to be explored. By high-throughput metagenomic sequencing and culture-based antibiotic resistance validation, we analyzed 108 airborne PM(10) and nearby environmental samples collected across different types of residential communities in Shanghai, the most populous city in China. Compared to the cold-dry period, the warm-humid season had significantly larger PM(10)-associated antibiotic resistomes in all types of residential communities (T-test, P < 0.001), most of airborne ARGs in which were estimatedly originated from disposed household waste (∼ 30 %). In addition, the airborne bacteria were assembled in a deterministic approach (iCAMP, P < 0.01), where the waste-specific bacteria taxa including Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, Rhodococcus, and Kocuria had the predominant niches in the airborne microbial assemblages. Notably, these waste-sourced bacteria were also identified as the primary airborne hosts of ARGs encoding the aminoglycoside resistances. Among them, some antibiotic resistant human pathogens, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii, not only exhibited higher ARG horizontal gene transfer (HGT) potential across the microbial assemblages, but also imposed direct infection risks on the local residents by 2 min inhalation exposure per day. When the daily exposure duration increased to 11 min, the infection-induced illness burden became unignorably high, especially in densely populated urban communities, being twofold greater than rural areas. | 2025 | 39862584 |
| 7173 | 1 | 0.9998 | Animal farms are hot spots for airborne antimicrobial resistance. Animal farms are known reservoirs for environmental antimicrobial resistance (AMR). However, knowledge of AMR burden in the air around animal farms remains disproportionately limited. In this study, we characterized the airborne AMR based on the quantitative information of 30 antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), four mobile genetic elements (MGEs), and four human pathogenic bacteria (HPBs) involving four animal species from 20 farms. By comparing these genes with those in animal feces, the distinguishing features of airborne AMR were revealed, which included high enrichment of ARGs and their potential mobility to host HPBs. We found that depending on the antimicrobial class, the mean concentration of airborne ARGs in the animal farms ranged from 10(2) to 10(4) copies/m(3) and was accompanied by a considerable intensity of MGEs and HPBs (approximately 10(3) copies/m(3)). Although significant correlations were observed between the ARGs and bacterial communities of air and fecal samples, the abundance of target genes was generally high in fine inhalable particles (PM2.5), with an enrichment ratio of up to 10(2) in swine and cattle farms. The potential transferability of airborne ARGs was universally strengthened, embodied by a pronounced co-occurrence of ARGs-MGEs in air compared with that in feces. Exposure analysis showed that animal farmworkers may inhale approximately 10(4) copies of human pathogenic bacteria-associated genera per day potentially carrying highly transferable ARGs, including multidrug resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Moreover, PM2.5 inhalation posed higher human daily intake burdens of some ARGs than those associated with drinking water intake. Overall, our findings highlight the severity of animal-related airborne AMR and the subsequent inhalation exposure, thus improving our understanding of the airborne flow of AMR genes from animals to humans. These findings could help develop strategies to mitigate the human exposure and dissemination of ARGs across different media. | 2022 | 35985594 |
| 6839 | 2 | 0.9998 | Bioaerosol is an important transmission route of antibiotic resistance genes in pig farms. Although pig farms are hotspots of antibiotic resistance due to intensive use of antibiotics, little is known about the abundance, diversity and transmission of airborne antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). This study reports that bioaerosol is an important spread route of ARGs in pig farms. ARGs, mobile genetic elements (MGEs), and bacterial communities were investigated in both air and feces samples during winter and summer. The average concentration of airborne ARGs and MGEs during winter is higher than that during summer when using the ventilation system. The tetM is identified as the predominant airborne ARG with abundance of 6.3 ± 1.2 log copies/m(3). Clostridium and Streptococcus are two dominant bacteria and several opportunistic pathogens are detected in air samples. High temperature is favorable for more diverse bacterial communities, but relative humidity has negative effects. The wind speed promotes the spread of airborne ARGs. The network analysis results show the average fecal contribution to airborne bacteria is 19.9% and 59.4% during summer and winter, respectively. Horizontal gene transfer plays an important role in the dissemination of airborne ARGs during winter (77.8% possibility), while a lower possibility of 12.0% in summer. | 2021 | 33864959 |
| 3218 | 3 | 0.9998 | Airborne bacterial communities in the poultry farm and their relevance with environmental factors and antibiotic resistance genes. The accelerating occurrence and environmental dissemination of bacteria, gas pollutants and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in aerosols of poultry farms have become emerging environmental issues due to their potential threat to animals, workers, and the communities located near such farms. Here, aerosol samples were gathered from inside and outside of the chicken house in winter with a transportable high-flow bioaerosol sampler. Then, 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing was used to categorize the bacteria in air samples, and the abundance of 12 ARG subtypes was researched via the real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Results indicated that the bacterial richness and diversity and total absolute abundance of ARGs were similar in the bioaerosols from indoor and downwind site of the poultry farm. The zoonotic pathogens, Staphylococcus and Corynebacterium, were detected both inside and outside of the chicken house, and the four most abundant target genes were bla(TEM), tetQ, ermB and sul1 in aerosols. Moreover, the correlation between the bacterial communities and environmental factors, such as NH(3) and H(2)S concentrations, wind speed, temperature and relative humidity, was analyzed. The result revealed that the indoor bacteria community was positively associated with temperature and concentrations of air pollutants (NH(3) and H(2)S), and could spread from confinement buildings to the ambient atmosphere through wind. In addition, the network analysis result showed that the airborne bacteria might significantly contribute in shaping the ARGs' profiles in bioaerosol from inside and outside of the poultry house. Overall, our results revealed the airborne bacterial communities and their associated influencing factors in the micro-environment (inside of the chicken house and nearby the boundary of the farm), and brought a new perspective for studying the gas pollutants and bioaerosol from poultry farms in winter. | 2022 | 35850323 |
| 6837 | 4 | 0.9998 | Coexistence of antibiotic resistance genes, fecal bacteria, and potential pathogens in anthropogenically impacted water. Microbial indicators are often used to monitor microbial safety of aquatic environments. However, information regarding the correlation between microbial indicators and ecotoxicological factors such as potential pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in anthropogenically impacted waters remains highly limited. Here, we investigated the bacterial community composition, potential pathogens, ARGs diversity, ARG hosts, and horizontal gene transfer (HGT) potential in urban river and wastewater samples from Chaohu Lake Basin using 16S rRNA and metagenomic sequencing. The composition of the microbial community and potential pathogens differed significantly in wastewater and river water samples, and the total relative abundance of fecal indicator bacteria was positively correlated with the total relative abundance of potential pathogens (p < 0.001 and Pearson's r = 0.758). Network analysis indicated that partial ARG subtypes such as dfrE, sul2, and PmrE were significantly correlated with indicator bacteria (p < 0.05 and Pearson's r > 0.6). Notably, Klebsiella was the indicator bacteria significantly correlated with 4 potential pathogens and 14 ARG subtypes. ARGs coexisting with mobile gene elements were mainly found in Thauera, Pseudomonas, Escherichia, and Acinetobacter. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) can be used to conduct preliminary surveys of environmental samples to access potential health risks, thereby facilitating water resources management. | 2022 | 35175529 |
| 3277 | 5 | 0.9998 | Airborne antibiotic resistome and human health risk in railway stations during COVID-19 pandemic. Antimicrobial resistance is recognized as one of the greatest public health concerns. It is becoming an increasingly threat during the COVID-19 pandemic due to increasing usage of antimicrobials, such as antibiotics and disinfectants, in healthcare facilities or public spaces. To explore the characteristics of airborne antibiotic resistome in public transport systems, we assessed distribution and health risks of airborne antibiotic resistome and microbiome in railway stations before and after the pandemic outbreak by culture-independent and culture-dependent metagenomic analysis. Results showed that the diversity of airborne antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) decreased following the pandemic, while the relative abundance of core ARGs increased. A total of 159 horizontally acquired ARGs, predominantly confering resistance to macrolides and aminoglycosides, were identified in the airborne bacteria and dust samples. Meanwhile, the abundance of horizontally acquired ARGs hosted by pathogens increased during the pandemic. A bloom of clinically important antibiotic (tigecycline and meropenem) resistant bacteria was found following the pandemic outbreak. 251 high-quality metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) were recovered from 27 metagenomes, and 86 genera and 125 species were classified. Relative abundance of ARG-carrying MAGs, taxonomically assigned to genus of Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, and Staphylococcus, was found increased during the pandemic. Bayesian source tracking estimated that human skin and anthropogenic activities were presumptive resistome sources for the public transit air. Moreover, risk assessment based on resistome and microbiome data revealed elevated airborne health risks during the pandemic. | 2023 | 36731187 |
| 7176 | 6 | 0.9998 | Significant higher airborne antibiotic resistance genes and the associated inhalation risk in the indoor than the outdoor. Inhalation of airborne antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) can lead to antimicrobial resistance and potential health risk. In modern society, increasing individuals stay more indoors, however, studies regarding the exposure to airborne ARGs in indoor environments and the associated risks remain limited. Here, we compared the variance of aerosol-associated ARGs, bacterial microbiomes, and their daily intake (DI) burden in dormitory, office, and outdoor environments in a university in Tianjin. The results indicated that compared to outdoor aerosols, indoors exhibited significantly higher absolute abundance of both ARG subtypes and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) (1-7 orders of magnitude), 16S rRNA genes (2-3 orders), and total culturable bacteria (1-3 orders). Furthermore, we observed that significantly different airborne bacterial communities are the major drivers contributing to the variance of aerosol-associated ARGs in indoor and outdoor aerosols. Notably, the high abundances of total bacteria, potential pathogenic genera, and ARGs (particularly those harbored by pathogens) in indoor and outdoor aerosols, especially in indoors, may pose an increased exposure risk via inhalation. The successful isolation of human pathogens such as Elizabethkingia anopheles, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Delftia lacustris resistant to the "last-resort" antibiotics carbapenems and polymyxin B from indoor aerosols further indicated an increased exposure risk in indoors. Together, this study highlights the potential risks associated with ARGs and their inhalation to human health in indoor environments. | 2021 | 33120141 |
| 7172 | 7 | 0.9998 | Airborne bacterial community and antibiotic resistome in the swine farming environment: Metagenomic insights into livestock relevance, pathogen hosts and public risks. Globally extensive use of antibiotics has accelerated antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the environment. As one of the biggest antibiotic consumers, livestock farms are hotspots in AMR prevalence, especially those in the atmosphere can transmit over long distances and pose inhalation risks to the public. Here, we collected total suspended particulates in swine farms and ambient air of an intensive swine farming area. Bacterial communities and antibiotic resistomes were analyzed using amplicon and metagenomic sequencing approaches. AMR risks and inhalation exposure to potential human-pathogenic antibiotic-resistant bacteria (HPARB) were subsequently estimated with comparison to the reported hospital samples. The results show that swine farms shaped the airborne bacterial community by increasing abundances, reducing diversities and shifting compositions. Swine feces contributed 77% of bacteria to swine farm air, and about 35% to ambient air. Airborne antibiotic resistomes in swine farms mainly conferred resistance to tetracyclines, aminoglycosides and lincosamides, and over 48% were originated from swine feces. Distinct to the hospital air, Firmicutes were dominant bacteria in swine farming environments with conditional pathogens including Clostridium, Streptococcus and Aerococcus being major hosts of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Therein, genomes of S. alactolyticus carrying (transposase/recombinase-associated) ARGs and virulence factor genes were retrieved from the metagenomes of all swine feces and swine farm air samples, but they were not detected in any hospital air samples. This suggests the indication of S. alactolyticus in swine farming environments with potential hazards to human health. Swine farm air faced higher AMR risks than hospital air and swine feces. The inhalation intake of HPARB by a swine farm worker was about three orders of magnitude higher than a person who works in the hospital. Consequently, this study depicted atmospheric transmission of bacteria and antibiotic resistomes from swine feces to the environment. | 2023 | 36680804 |
| 3205 | 8 | 0.9998 | Determinants for antimicrobial resistance genes in farm dust on 333 poultry and pig farms in nine European countries. Livestock feces with antimicrobial resistant bacteria reaches the farm floor, manure pit, farm land and wider environment by run off and aerosolization. Little research has been done on the role of dust in the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in farms. Concentrations and potential determinants of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) in farm dust are at present not known. Therefore in this study absolute ARG levels, representing the levels people and animals might be exposed to, and relative abundances of ARGs, representing the levels in the bacterial population, were quantified in airborne farm dust using qPCR. Four ARGs were determined in 947 freshly settled farm dust samples, captured with electrostatic dustfall collectors (EDCs), from 174 poultry (broiler) and 159 pig farms across nine European countries. By using linear mixed modeling, associations with fecal ARG levels, antimicrobial use (AMU) and farm and animal related parameters were determined. Results show similar relative abundances in farm dust as in feces and a significant positive association (ranging between 0.21 and 0.82) between the two reservoirs. AMU in pigs was positively associated with ARG abundances in dust from the same stable. Higher biosecurity standards were associated with lower relative ARG abundances in poultry and higher relative ARG abundances in pigs. Lower absolute ARG levels in dust were driven by, among others, summer season and certain bedding materials for poultry, and lower animal density and summer season for pigs. This study indicates different pathways that contribute to shaping the dust resistome in livestock farms, related to dust generation, or affecting the bacterial microbiome. Farm dust is a large reservoir of ARGs from which transmission to bacteria in other reservoirs can possibly occur. The identified determinants of ARG abundances in farm dust can guide future research and potentially farm management policy. | 2022 | 35033551 |
| 3216 | 9 | 0.9998 | Effects of different laying periods on airborne bacterial diversity and antibiotic resistance genes in layer hen houses. Poultry farms are a complex environment for close contact between humans and animals. Accumulating evidence has indicated that pathogens and drug resistance genes in chicken houses may pose a serious threat to public health and economic concerns. However, insufficient knowledge of the indoor aerosol microbiome and resistome profiles of layer hen houses hampers the understanding of their health effects. Environmental surveillance of antibiotic resistance may contribute to a better understanding and management of the human exposure risk of bioaerosols under the environmental conditions of chicken houses. In addition, the chicken house has a long operation cycle, and the bacterial diversity and antibiotic resistance genes of aerosols in different periods may be different. In this study, air samples were collected from 18 chicken houses on three farms, including the early laying period (EL), peak laying period (PL), and late laying period (LL). 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metagenomics were used to study the composition of the bacteria and resistome in aerosols of layer hen houses and the results showed that they varied with laying period. The highest alpha diversity of bacteria was observed in PL bioaerosols. The dominant bacterial phyla included Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria. Three potential pathogenic bacterial genera (Bacteroides, Corynebacterium and Fusobacterium) were found. The most abundant ARG type was aminoglycosides in all laying periods. In total, 22 possible ARG host genera were detected. ARG subtypes and abundance were both higher in LL. Network analysis also showed higher co-occurrence patterns between the bacteria and resistome in bioaerosols. The laying period plays an important role in the bacterial community and resistome in layer house aerosols. | 2023 | 37119673 |
| 3217 | 10 | 0.9998 | Distribution and environmental dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes in poultry farms and surrounding ecosystems. Antibiotic resistance poses a significant threat to human and animal health worldwide, with farms serving as crucial reservoirs of Antibiotic Resistance Genes (ARGs) and Antibiotic-resistant bacteria. However, the distribution of ARGs in poultry farms and their transmission patterns in the environment remain poorly understood. This study collected samples of aerosol microorganisms, cloacal matter, soil, and vegetables from poultry farms and surrounding environments at three different distances. We used 16S rRNA gene sequencing and HT-qPCR to analyze the characteristics of aerosol microbial communities and the abundance of ARGs. At the phylum level, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes were dominant in cloacal samples, aerosol samples, and vegetable samples, while Proteobacteria Actinobacteriota and Acidobacteria dominated soil. Pseudomonas was dominant in cloacal samples at the genus level, whereas Fusobacterium was prevalent in soil. The diversity and richness of bacterial communities were more similar between cloacal samples than those observed between either sample type compared with soil. Our results showed that tetracycline and aminoglycoside ARG relative abundance was high across all sample types but significantly increased within feces/air compared to soils/vegetables. Association analysis revealed five potential host genera for ARG/MGE presence among various microbiota populations studied here. Our findings confirm that farms are important sources for the environmental dissemination of pathogens and ARGs. | 2025 | 39689477 |
| 6840 | 11 | 0.9998 | High-throughput profiling and analysis of antibiotic resistance genes in East Tiaoxi River, China. The rapid human activities and urbanization exacerbate the human health risks induced by antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). In this study, the profiling of ARGs was investigated using high-throughput qPCR from water samples of 13 catchment areas in East Tiaoxi River, China. High prevalence of ARGs indicated significant antibiotic resistance pollution in the research area (absolute abundance: 6.1 × 10(8)-2.1 × 10(10) copies/L; relative abundance: 0.033-0.158 copies/cell). Conventional water qualities (COD, TN, TP, NH(3)-N), bacterial communities and mobile gene elements (MGEs) were detected and analyzed as factors of ARGs shift. Nutrient and MGEs showed positive correlation with most ARGs (P < 0.05) and bacteria community was identified as the key contributing factor driving ARGs alteration. With the land-use study and field investigation, country area, especially arable, was expected as a high spot for ARGs shift and pathogen breeding. Comparing to environmental background, promotion of ARGs and marked shift of bacterial community were observed in country and urban city areas, indicating that human activities may lead to the spread of ARGs. Analysis of factors affecting ARGs in this study may shed new light on the mechanism of the maintenance and propagation of ARGs in urban rivers. | 2017 | 28715769 |
| 6848 | 12 | 0.9998 | Swine farming elevated the proliferation of Acinetobacter with the prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes in the groundwater. Swine farming generates a large amount of wastes containing various contaminants, resulting in environmental contamination and human health problems. Here we investigated the contamination profiles of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) as well as microbial community in groundwater of the two villages with or without swine farms, and then assessed the human exposure risks of antibiotics, ARGs and indicator bacteria through drinking groundwater. The results showed that swine farming could lead to enhanced concentration levels of various veterinary antibiotics and ARGs in the groundwater in comparison to the reference village without swine farming. The microbial diversity of groundwater was significantly decreased with predominance of conditional pathogens Acinetobacter (up to 90%) in some wells of the swine farming village. Meanwhile, the abundance of Acinetobacter was significantly correlated to bacterial abundance, ARGs and integrons. The local residents could ingest various antibiotic residues and ARGs as well as pathogens, with daily intake of Acinetobacter up to approximately 10 billion CFU/resident through drinking groundwater contaminated by swine farming. The findings from this study suggest potential health risks of changing gut microbial community and resistome by drinking contaminated groundwater. | 2020 | 31999967 |
| 7151 | 13 | 0.9998 | Pollution profiles of antibiotic resistance genes associated with airborne opportunistic pathogens from typical area, Pearl River Estuary and their exposure risk to human. To reveal the selective pressures of near-shore human activities on marine and continental bioaerosols, the pollution profile and potential exposure risk of airborne pathogens and antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) in Pearl River Estuaries (113.52 (o)E, 22.69 (o)N), a transitional zone between marine and continental environments, were fully explored. The results showed that the total bacteria among bioaerosols varied largely with average pollution levels of 1.86 × 10(5) and 4.35 × 10(4) cfu m(-3) in spring and summer, respectively, and were high than those of airborne fungi. The predominant aerodynamic diameters of bioaerosols were in respirable size range (<4.7 µm), and the microbes communities' diversity and abundance varied significantly. Besides, many opportunistic pathogenic bacteria (Burkholderia-Paraburkholderia, Staphylococcus and Acinetobacter) and fungi (Alternaria, Penicillium and Cladosporium) were dominant in bioaerosol samples. Of 21 ARGs subtypes detected, the tetracycline resistance gene tetA was the most abundant, followed by aminoglycoside resistance gene and mobile genetic elements. Correlation analysis revealed that the changes of pathogens community contributed significantly to the prevalence of ARGs in bioaerosol. Based on the average daily dose rates of microorganisms and human direct intake of ARGs, health risk of bioaerosols from the Pearl River Estuaries were also evaluated. In summary, the presence of opportunistic pathogens and diversity of ARGs strengthens the call to consider the bioaerosol in air quality monitoring and risk assessment in the future. | 2020 | 32645489 |
| 7174 | 14 | 0.9997 | Metagenomic analysis deciphers airborne pathogens with enhanced antimicrobial resistance and virulence factors in composting facilities. The composting process has been shown to effectively reduce antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in animal manure, but its influence on surrounding airborne AMR remains unknown, particularly with regard to human-pathogenic antibiotic-resistant bacteria (HPARB). In this study, air and paired compost samples were collected from a full-scale composting facility, and the antibiotic resistome, microbiome, and HPARB were systematically analyzed in both two habitats using metagenomic analysis. Current result uncovered the profiles of HPARB in air, showing that significantly more airborne HPARB were assembled than that in compost samples. Airborne pathogens harboredan increased abundance and diversity of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and virulence factor genes (VFGs) in comparison with compost-borne HPARB. The core antibiotic resistome represents 18.58% of overall ARG subtypes, contributing to 86.31% of ARG abundance. A higher number of enriched core ARGs (2.16- to 13.36-times higher), including mexF, tetW, and vanS, were observed in air samples compared to compost samples. As an important human pathogen, Mycobacterium tuberculosis was prevalent in the air and carried more ARG (6) and VFG (130) subtypes than those in compost. A significantly higher risk score was detected for airborne AMR in the composting facility compared to that in hospital and urban environments. This study revealed the enhanced airborne HPARB through comparative experiments between air and composting habitats. It highlighted the unrecognized AMR risks associated with air in composting site and provided a scientific basis for accurately assessing health outcomes caused by occupational exposure. | 2025 | 40472755 |
| 3198 | 15 | 0.9997 | Enhance antibiotic resistance and human health risks in aerosols during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aerosols are an important route for the transmission of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Since the 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the large-scale use of disinfectants has effectively prevented the spread of environmental microorganisms, but studies regarding the antibiotic resistance of airborne bacteria remain limited. This study focused on four functional urban areas (commercial areas, educational areas, residential areas and wastewater treatment plant) to study the variations in ARG abundances, bacterial community structures and risks to human health during the COVID-19 pandemic in aerosol. The results indicated the abundance of ARGs during the COVID-19 period were up to approximately 13-fold greater than before the COVID-19 period. Large-scale disinfection resulted in a decrease in total bacterial abundance. However, chlorine-resistant bacteria tended to be survived. Among the four functional areas, the diversity and abundance of aerosol bacteria were highest in commercial aera. Antibiotic susceptibility assays suggested elevated resistance of isolated bacteria to several tested antibiotics due to disinfection exposure. The potential exposure risks of ARGs to human health were 2 times higher than before the COVID-19 pandemic, and respiratory intake was the main exposure route. The results highlighted the elevated antibiotic resistance of bacteria in aerosols that were exposed to disinfectants after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study provides theoretical guidance for the rational use of disinfectants and control of antimicrobial resistance. | 2023 | 36754321 |
| 6838 | 16 | 0.9997 | Seasonal variation characteristics of inhalable bacteria in bioaerosols and antibiotic resistance genes in Harbin. Bioaerosols have received extensive attention due to their impact on climate, ecological environment, and human health. This study aimed to reveal the driving factors that structure bacterial community composition and the transmission route of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in PM(2.5). The results showed that the bacterial concentration in spring (8.76 × 10(5) copies/m(3)) was significantly higher than that in summer (1.03 × 10(5) copies/m(3)) and winter (4.74 × 10(4) copies/m(3)). Low temperatures and air pollution in winter negatively affected bacterial concentrations. Keystone taxa were identified by network analysis. Although about 50 % of the keystone taxa had low relative abundances, the strong impact of complex interactions between keystone taxa and other taxa on bacterial community structure deserved attention. The bacterial community assembly was dominated by stochastic processes (79.3 %). Interactions between bacteria and environmental filtering together affected bacterial community composition. Vertical gene transfer played an important role in the transmission of airborne ARGs. Given the potential integration and expression of ARGs in recipients, the human exposure risk due to high concentrations of ARGs and mobile genetic elements cannot be ignored. This study highlights human exposure to inhalable bacterial pathogens and ARGs in urban areas. | 2023 | 36584645 |
| 3176 | 17 | 0.9997 | Comprehensive profiling and risk assessment of antibiotic resistance genes in a drinking water watershed by integrated analysis of air-water-soil. The prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in diverse habitats threatens public health. Watersheds represent critical freshwater ecosystems that interact with both the soil and atmosphere. However, a holistic understanding of ARGs distribution across these environmental media is currently inadequate. We profiled ARGs and bacterial communities in air-water-soil in the same watershed area during four seasons using high-throughput qPCR and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Our findings demonstrated that aminoglycoside resistance genes (58.5%) were dominant in water, and multidrug resistance genes (55.2% and 54.2%) were dominant in soil and air. Five ARGs and nineteen bacterial genera were consistently detected in all samples, were named as shared genes or bacteria. Co-occurrence Network analysis revealed the co-occurrence module of resistance genes, mobile genetic elements (MGEs), and potential bacterial hosts, indicating that shared genes and bacteria may persist and co-spread across different environmental media. The risk assessment framework, based on ARGs' abundance, detection rate, and mobility, identified 33 high-risk ARGs. This is essential to evaluate the health risks of ARGs and to develop strategies to limit the threat of antibiotic resistance. Our study offers new insights into the risks associated with ARGs in the environment and suggests that ARGs may depend on specific bacterial cohabitants that co-exist with MGEs to facilitate their spread across environmental interfaces. | 2023 | 37742410 |
| 6870 | 18 | 0.9997 | Antibiotic resistome in landfill leachate and impact on groundwater. Landfill leachate is a hotspot in antibiotic resistance development. However, little is known about antibiotic resistome and host pathogens in leachate and their effects on surrounding groundwater. Here, metagenomic sequencing was used to explore profiles, host bacteria, environmental risks and influencing factors of antibiotic resistome in raw and treated leachate and surrounding groundwater of three landfills. Results showed detection of a total of 324 antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). The ARGs conferring resistance to multidrug (8.8 %-25.7 %), aminoglycoside (13.1 %-39.2 %), sulfonamide (10.0 %-20.9 %), tetracycline (5.7 %-34.4 %) and macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin (MLS, 5.3 %-29.5 %) were dominant in raw leachate, while multidrug resistance genes were the major ARGs in treated leachate (64.1 %-83.0 %) and groundwater (28.7 %-76.6 %). Source tracking analysis suggests non-negligible influence of leachate on the ARGs in groundwater. The pathogens including Acinetobacter pittii, Pseudomonas stutzeri and P. alcaligenes were the major ARG-carrying hosts. Variance partitioning analysis indicates that the microbial community, abiotic variables and their interaction contributed most to the antibiotic resistance development. Our results shed light on the dissemination and driving mechanisms of ARGs from leachate to the groundwater, indicating that a comprehensive risk assessment and efficient treatment approaches are needed to deal with ARGs in landfill leachate and nearby groundwater. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS: Antibiotic resistance genes are found abundant in the landfill sites, and these genes could be disseminated into groundwater via leaching of wastewater and infiltration of leachate. This results in deterioration of groundwater quality and human health risks posed by these ARGs and related pathogens. Thus measures should be taken to minimize potential negative impacts of landfills on the surrounding environment. | 2024 | 38547976 |
| 3219 | 19 | 0.9997 | Airborne bacterial contaminations in typical Chinese wet market with live poultry trade. Chinese wet markets with live poultry trade have been considered as major sources of pathogen dissemination, and sites for horizontal transfer of bacterial and viral pathogens. In this study, the pathogenic bacteria and antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs) in air samples collected at a typical Chinese wet market had been analysis and quantified. Corynebacterium minutissimum and other pathogenic bacteria accounted for 0.81-8.02% of the whole microbial community in different air samples. The four ARGs quantified in this study showed a comparable relative concentration (copies/ng_DNA) with municipal wastewater. Poultry manures were demonstrated to be important microbial contamination source in wet market, which was supported by both microbial composition based source tracking and the quantification of airborne microbial density. A series of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes indicators of poultry area contamination were successfully screened, which will be useful for the more convenient monitoring of airborne poultry area contamination. Our results indicate bioaerosols acted as important route for the transmissions of pathogens and ARGs. Continued surveillance of airborne microbial contamination is required in poultry trade wet market. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Urban live poultry markets are important sources of pathogen dissemination, and sites for horizontal transfer of viral and bacterial pathogens. In the present field-study, pathogenic bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes were focused to provide quantitative information on the levels of microbial contaminations at the indoor air of wet markets. Results demonstrated that poultry manures were important microbial contamination source in wet market, and in the meanwhile bioaerosols were identified as important route for the transmissions of microbial contaminants. A series of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes indicators of poultry area contamination were successfully screened, which will be useful for the more convenient monitoring of airborne poultry area contamination. | 2016 | 27503629 |