# | Rank | Similarity | Title + Abs. | Year | PMID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 3074 | 0 | 0.9898 | Metagenomic analysis of microbial communities and antibiotic resistant genes in the Tijuana river, and potential sources. The Tijuana River is a transborder river that flows northwest across the border from Baja California in Mexico into Southern California before discharging into the Pacific Ocean. The river is frequently contaminated with raw sewage due to inadequate sanitary infrastructure in Tijuana. To assess the type and degree of microbial contamination, water samples were collected monthly from a near-border and an estuarine site from August 2020 until May 2021. A portion of each sample was used for epifluorescent microscopy and DNA was extracted directly from the rest for shotgun metagenomic sequencing. After sequence quality checking and processing, we used the rapid taxonomic identifier tool Kaiju to characterize the microbial diversity of the metagenomes and matched the sequences against the Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database (CARD) to examine antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs). Bacterial and viral-like particle (VLP) abundance was consistently higher in the near-border samples than in the estuarine samples, while alpha diversity (within sample biodiversity) was higher in estuarine samples. Beta-diversity analysis found clear compositional separation between samples from the two sites, and the near-border samples were more dissimilar to one another than were the estuarine sites. Near-border samples were dominated by fecal-associated bacteria and bacteria associated with sewage sludge, while estuarine sites were dominated by marine bacteria. ARGs were more abundant at the near-border site, but were also readily detectable in the estuarine samples, and the most abundant ARGs had multi-resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics. SourceTracker analysis identified human feces and sewage sludge to be the largest contributors to the near-border samples, while marine waters dominated estuarine samples except for two sewage overflow dates with high fecal contamination. Overall, our research determined human sewage microbes to be common in the Tijuana River, and the prevalence of ARGs confirms the importance of planned infrastructure treatment upgrades for environmental health. | 2024 | 38043772 |
| 3480 | 1 | 0.9897 | Short-term inhalation exposure evaluations of airborne antibiotic resistance genes in environments. Antibiotic resistance is a sword of Damocles that hangs over humans. In regards to airborne antibiotic resistance genes (AARGs), critical knowledge gaps still exist in the identification of hotspots and quantification of exposure levels in different environments. Here, we have studied the profiles of AARGs, mobile genetic elements (MGEs) and bacterial communities in various atmospheric environments by high throughput qPCR and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We propose a new AARGs exposure dose calculation that uses short-term inhalation (STI). Swine farms and hospitals were high-risk areas where AARGs standardised abundance was more abundant than suburbs and urban areas. Additionally, resistance gene abundance in swine farm worker sputum was higher than that in healthy individuals in other environments. The correlation between AARGs with MGEs and bacteria was strong in suburbs but weak in livestock farms and hospitals. STI exposure analysis revealed that occupational intake of AARGs (via PM(10)) in swine farms and hospitals were 110 and 29 times higher than in suburbs, were 1.5 × 10(4), 5.6 × 10(4) and 5.1 × 10(2) copies, i.e., 61.9%, 75.1% and 10.7% of the overall daily inhalation intake, respectively. Our study comprehensively compares environmental differences in AARGs to identify high-risk areas, and forwardly proposes the STI exposure dose of AARGs to guide risk assessment. | 2022 | 35717091 |
| 7171 | 2 | 0.9897 | 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 |
| 3499 | 3 | 0.9896 | Diverse and abundant antibiotic resistance genes in mangrove area and their relationship with bacterial communities - A study in Hainan Island, China. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are emerging contaminants in the environment and have been highlighted as a worldwide environmental and health concern. As important participants in the biogeochemical cycles, mangrove ecosystems are subject to various anthropogenic disturbances, and its microbiota may be affected by various contaminants such as ARGs. This study selected 13 transects of mangrove-covered areas in Hainan, China for sediment sample collection. The abundance and diversity of ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) were investigated using high-throughput quantitative polymerase chain reaction (HT-qPCR), and high-throughput sequencing was used to study microbial structure and diversity. A total of 179 ARGs belonging to 9 ARG types were detected in the study area, and the detection rates of vanXD and vatE-01 were 100%. The abundance of ARGs was 8.30 × 10(7)-6.88 × 10(8) copies per g sediment (1.27 × 10(-2)-3.39 × 10(-2) copies per 16S rRNA gene), which was higher than similar studies, and there were differences in the abundance of ARGs in these sampling transects. The multidrug resistance genes (MRGs) accounted for the highest proportion (69.0%), which indicates that the contamination of ARGs in the study area was very complicated. The ARGs significantly positively correlated with MGEs, which showed that the high level of ARGs was related to its self-enhancement. The dominant bacteria at the genus level were Desulfococcus, Clostridium, Rhodoplanes, Bacillus, Vibrio, Enterococcus, Sedimentibacter, Pseudoalteromonas, Paracoccus, Oscillospira, Mariprofundus, Sulfurimonas, Aminobacterium, and Novosphingobium. There was a significant positive correlation between 133 bacterial genera and some ARGs. Chthoniobacter, Flavisolibacter, Formivibrio, Kaistia, Moryella, MSBL3, Perlucidibaca, and Zhouia were the main potential hosts of ARGs in the sediments of Hainan mangrove area, and many of these bacteria are important participants in biogeochemical cycles. The results contribute to our understanding of the distribution and potential hosts of ARGs and provide a scientific basis for the protection and management of Hainan mangrove ecosystem. | 2021 | 33652188 |
| 3167 | 4 | 0.9896 | Assessing Antibiotic-Resistant Genes in University Dormitory Washing Machines. University dormitories represent densely populated environments, and washing machines are potential sites for the spread of bacteria and microbes. However, the extent of antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) variation in washing machines within university dormitories and their potential health risks are largely unknown. To disclose the occurrence of ARGs and antibiotic-resistant bacteria from university dormitories, we collected samples from washing machines in 10 dormitories and used metagenomic sequencing technology to determine microbial and ARG abundance. Our results showed abundant microbial diversity, with Proteobacteria being the dominant microorganism that harbors many ARGs. The majority of the existing ARGs were associated with antibiotic target alteration and efflux, conferring multidrug resistance. We identified tnpA and IS91 as the most abundant mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in washing machines and found that Micavibrio aeruginosavorus, Aquincola tertiaricarbonis, and Mycolicibacterium iranicum had high levels of ARGs. Our study highlights the potential transmission of pathogens from washing machines to humans and the surrounding environment. Pollution in washing machines poses a severe threat to public health and demands attention. Therefore, it is crucial to explore effective methods for reducing the reproduction of multidrug resistance. | 2024 | 38930496 |
| 7080 | 5 | 0.9895 | Antibiotics, bacteria, and antibiotic resistance genes: aerial transport from cattle feed yards via particulate matter. BACKGROUND: Emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance has become a global health threat and is often linked with overuse and misuse of clinical and veterinary chemotherapeutic agents. Modern industrial-scale animal feeding operations rely extensively on veterinary pharmaceuticals, including antibiotics, to augment animal growth. Following excretion, antibiotics are transported through the environment via runoff, leaching, and land application of manure; however, airborne transport from feed yards has not been characterized. OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to determine the extent to which antibiotics, antibiotic resistance genes (ARG), and ruminant-associated microbes are aerially dispersed via particulate matter (PM) derived from large-scale beef cattle feed yards. METHODS: PM was collected downwind and upwind of 10 beef cattle feed yards. After extraction from PM, five veterinary antibiotics were quantified via high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry, ARG were quantified via targeted quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and microbial community diversity was analyzed via 16S rRNA amplification and sequencing. RESULTS: Airborne PM derived from feed yards facilitated dispersal of several veterinary antibiotics, as well as microbial communities containing ARG. Concentrations of several antibiotics in airborne PM immediately downwind of feed yards ranged from 0.5 to 4.6 μg/g of PM. Microbial communities of PM collected downwind of feed yards were enriched with ruminant-associated taxa and were distinct when compared to upwind PM assemblages. Furthermore, genes encoding resistance to tetracycline antibiotics were significantly more abundant in PM collected downwind of feed yards as compared to upwind. CONCLUSIONS: Wind-dispersed PM from feed yards harbors antibiotics, bacteria, and ARGs. | 2015 | 25633846 |
| 3113 | 6 | 0.9895 | Resistome in the indoor dust samples from workplaces and households: a pilot study. The antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) limit the susceptibility of bacteria to antimicrobials, representing a problem of high importance. Current research on the presence of ARGs in microorganisms focuses mainly on humans, livestock, hospitals, or wastewater. However, the spectrum of ARGs in the dust resistome in workplaces and households has gone relatively unexplored. This pilot study aimed to analyze resistome in indoor dust samples from participants' workplaces (a pediatric hospital, a maternity hospital, and a research center) and households and compare two different approaches to the ARGs analysis; high-throughput quantitative PCR (HT-qPCR) and whole metagenome shotgun sequencing (WMGS). In total, 143 ARGs were detected using HT-qPCR, with ARGs associated with the macrolides, lincosamides, and streptogramin B (MLSB) phenotype being the most abundant, followed by MDR (multi-drug resistance) genes, and genes conferring resistance to aminoglycosides. A higher overall relative quantity of ARGs was observed in indoor dust samples from workplaces than from households, with the pediatric hospital being associated with the highest relative quantity of ARGs. WMGS analysis revealed 36 ARGs, of which five were detected by both HT-qPCR and WMGS techniques. Accordingly, the efficacy of the WMGS approach to detect ARGs was lower than that of HT-qPCR. In summary, our pilot data revealed that indoor dust in buildings where people spend most of their time (workplaces, households) can be a significant source of antimicrobial-resistant microorganisms, which may potentially pose a health risk to both humans and animals. | 2024 | 39691696 |
| 7170 | 7 | 0.9894 | Effect of cattle farm exposure on oropharyngeal and gut microbial communities and antibiotic resistance genes in workers. Livestock farms are recognized as the main sources of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) with potential implications for human health. In this study, we systematically analyzed microbiome composition, distribution of ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in the oropharynx and gut of workers in cattle farms and surrounding villagers, cattle feces and farm air, and the relationship of microbial communities among farm air, cattle feces and farmworkers (oropharynx and gut). Exposure to the farm environment may have remodeled farmworkers' oropharynx and gut microbiota, with reduced microbial diversity (P < 0.05) and enrichment of some opportunistic pathogenic bacteria like Shigella, Streptococcus, and Neisseria in the oropharynx. Meanwhile, compared with villagers, ARG abundance in oropharynx of farmworkers increased significantly (P < 0.05), but, no significant difference in gut (P > 0.05). Microbial composition and ARG profile in farmworkers might be influenced by working time and work type, ARG abundance in farmworkers' gut was positively correlated with working time (P < 0.01), and higher ARG abundance was found in the oropharynx of drovers. The network analysis revealed that 4 MGEs (tnpA-01, tnpA-04, Tp614, and IS613), 5 phyla (e.g. Bacteroidetes, Fusobacteria, and TM7), and 6 genera were significantly associated with 37 ARGs (ρ > 0.6, P < 0.01). Overall, our results indicated that farm exposure may have affected the microbial composition and increased ARG abundance of farmworkers. Transmission of some ARGs may have occurred among the environment, animals and humans via host bacteria, which might pose a potential threat to human health. | 2022 | 34600986 |
| 3543 | 8 | 0.9894 | Precipitation influences pathogenic bacteria and antibiotic resistance gene abundance in storm drain outfalls in coastal sub-tropical waters. Stormwater contamination can threaten the health of aquatic ecosystems and human exposed to runoff via nutrient and pathogen influxes. In this study, the concentrations of 11 bacterial pathogens and 47 antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were determined by using high-throughput microfluidic qPCR (MFQPCR) in several storm drain outfalls (SDOs) during dry and wet weather in Tampa Bay, Florida, USA. Data generated in this study were also compared with the levels of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) and sewage-associated molecular markers (i.e., Bacteroides HF183 and crAssphage markers) in same SDOs collected in a recent study (Ahmed et al., 2018). Concentration of FIB, sewage-associated markers, bacterial pathogens and many ARGs in water samples were relatively high and SDOs may be potentially hotspots for microbial contamination in Tampa Bay. Mean concentrations of culturable E. coli and Enterococcus spp. were tenfold higher in wet compared to dry weather. The majority of microbiological contaminants followed this trend. E. coli eaeA, encoding the virulence factor intimin, was correlated with levels of 20 ARGs, and was more frequently detected in wet weather than dry weather samples. The bla(KPC) gene associated with carbapenem resistant Enterobacteriaceae and the beta-lactam resistant gene (bla(NPS)) were only detected in wet weather samples. Frequency of integron genes Intl2 and Intl3 detection increased by 42% in wet weather samples. Culturable E. coli and Enterococcus spp. significantly correlated with 19 of 47 (40%) ARG tested. Sewage-associated markers crAssphage and HF183 significantly correlated (p < 0.05) with the following ARGs: intl1, sul1, tet(M), ampC, mexB, and tet(W). The presence of sewage-associated marker genes along with ARGs associated with sewage suggested that aging sewage infrastructure contributed to contaminant loading in the Bay. Further research should focus on collecting spatial and temporal data on the microbiological contaminants especially viruses in SDOs. | 2018 | 29754026 |
| 7759 | 9 | 0.9894 | Gamma Irradiation Influences the Survival and Regrowth of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria and Antibiotic-Resistance Genes on Romaine Lettuce. Contamination of romaine lettuce with human pathogens, antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB), and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) occurs during production. Post-harvest interventions are emplaced to mitigate pathogens, but could also mitigate ARB and ARGs on vegetables. The objective of this research was to determine changes to lettuce phyllosphere microbiota, inoculated ARB, and the resistome (profile of ARGs) following washing with a sanitizer, gamma irradiation, and cold storage. To simulate potential sources of pre-harvest contamination, romaine lettuce leaves were inoculated with compost slurry containing antibiotic-resistant strains of pathogenic (Escherichia coli O157:H7) and representative of spoilage bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Various combinations of washing with sodium hypochlorite (50 ppm free chlorine), packaging under modified atmosphere (98% nitrogen), irradiating (1.0 kGy) and storing at 4°C for 1 day versus 14 days were compared. Effects of post-harvest treatments on the resistome were profiled by shotgun metagenomic sequencing. Bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing was performed to determine changes to the phyllosphere microbiota. Survival and regrowth of inoculated ARB were evaluated by enumeration on selective media. Washing lettuce in water containing sanitizer was associated with reduced abundance of ARG classes that confer resistance to glycopeptides, β-lactams, phenicols, and sulfonamides (Wilcoxon, p < 0.05). Washing followed by irradiation resulted in a different resistome chiefly due to reductions in multidrug, triclosan, polymyxin, β-lactam, and quinolone ARG classes (Wilcoxon, p < 0.05). Irradiation followed by storage at 4°C for 14 days led to distinct changes to the β-diversity of the host bacteria of ARGs compared to 1 day after treatment (ANOSIM, R = 0.331; p = 0.003). Storage of washed and irradiated lettuce at 4°C for 14 days increased the relative abundance of Pseudomonadaceae and Carnobacteriaceae (Wilcoxon, p < 0.05), two groups whose presence correlated with detection of 10 ARG classes on the lettuce phyllosphere (p < 0.05). Irradiation resulted in a significant reduction (∼3.5 log CFU/g) of inoculated strains of E. coli O157:H7 and P. aeruginosa (ANOVA, p < 0.05). Results indicate that washing, irradiation and storage of modified atmosphere packaged lettuce at 4°C are effective strategies to reduce antibiotic-resistant E. coli O157:H7 and P. aeruginosa and relative abundance of various ARG classes. | 2019 | 31024491 |
| 7008 | 10 | 0.9894 | Pharmaceutical exposure changed antibiotic resistance genes and bacterial communities in soil-surface- and overhead-irrigated greenhouse lettuce. New classes of emerging contaminants such as pharmaceuticals, antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB), and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) have received increasing attention due to rapid increases of their abundance in agroecosystems. As food consumption is a direct exposure pathway of pharmaceuticals, ARB, and ARGs to humans, it is important to understand changes of bacterial communities and ARG profiles in food crops produced with contaminated soils and waters. This study examined the level and type of ARGs and bacterial community composition in soil, and lettuce shoots and roots under soil-surface or overhead irrigation with pharmaceuticals-contaminated water, using high throughput qPCR and 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing techniques, respectively. In total 52 ARG subtypes were detected in the soil, lettuce shoot and root samples, with mobile genetic elements (MGEs), and macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B (MLSB) and multidrug resistance (MDR) genes as dominant types. The overall abundance and diversity of ARGs and bacteria associated with lettuce shoots under soil-surface irrigation were lower than those under overhead irrigation, indicating soil-surface irrigation may have lower risks of producing food crops with high abundance of ARGs. ARG profiles and bacterial communities were sensitive to pharmaceutical exposure, but no consistent patterns of changes were observed. MGE intl1 was consistently more abundant with pharmaceutical exposure than in the absence of pharmaceuticals. Pharmaceutical exposure enriched Proteobacteria (specifically Methylophilaceae) and decreased bacterial alpha diversity. Finally, there were significant interplays among bacteria community, antibiotic concentrations, and ARG abundance possibly involving hotspots including Sphingomonadaceae, Pirellulaceae, and Chitinophagaceae, MGEs (intl1 and tnpA_1) and MDR genes (mexF and oprJ). | 2019 | 31336252 |
| 3516 | 11 | 0.9894 | Presence of microplastic particles increased abundance of pathogens and antimicrobial resistance genes in microbial communities from the Oder river water and sediment. High abundance of microplastic particles (MPs) in the water environment could be a factor in spreading of pathogens and antimicrobial resistance genes (AMR), especially antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). The aim of our study was to assess changes in the microbial community developing on microplastic surfaces incubated in water from the Oder River-one of Central Europe's major rivers, flowing through three countries (Czechia, Germany, and Poland)-whose diverse, 20,000-km(2) catchment area (encompassing industrial, agricultural, and urban regions) ensures a relatively high abundance of microbial communities.Samples of water and sediment were taken from river in Wroclaw area. Then the water was poured into disinfected glass liquid containers and pre-drained sediment was added. Control samples of water and sediment were collected on day 0. Then microplastic particles were added (500 mg; ~ 1 mm). Subsequent sampling was performed after incubation on 7(th) and 14(th) day. From each group, samples of sediment and water were collected after the incubation period (n = 5/group), for extraction of microbial DNA and library preparation. Sequencing was performed, using MinION sequencer with 10.4.1 Flow cell. Galaxy Europe platform and R program (v 4.3.3), alpha diversity and PERMANOVA with Benjamini-Hochberg p-value correction for multiple comparisons were used. For identification of biomarker taxa being different between groups, ANCOMBC (Analysis of Compositions of Microbiomes with Bias Correction) was performed. Obtained results shown higher abundance of pathogenic bacteria such as Aeromonas salmonicida Vibrio spp., Escherichia coli or Salmonella after 7 days of incubation in water and sediment. Additionally, after 7 days of incubation numbers of ARGs was higher compared to control group. | 2025 | 40348784 |
| 7176 | 12 | 0.9894 | 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 |
| 3545 | 13 | 0.9893 | Fecal indicators and antibiotic resistance genes exhibit diurnal trends in the Chattahoochee River: Implications for water quality monitoring. Water bodies that serve as sources of drinking or recreational water are routinely monitored for fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) by state and local agencies. Exceedances of monitoring thresholds set by those agencies signal likely elevated human health risk from exposure, but FIB give little information about the potential source of contamination. To improve our understanding of how within-day variation could impact monitoring data interpretation, we conducted a study at two sites along the Chattahoochee River that varied in their recreational usage and adjacent land-use (natural versus urban), collecting samples every 30 min over one 24-h period. We assayed for three types of microbial indicators: FIB (total coliforms and Escherichia coli); human fecal-associated microbial source tracking (MST) markers (crAssphage and HF183/BacR287); and a suite of clinically relevant antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs; blaCTX-M, blaCMY, MCR, KPC, VIM, NDM) and a gene associated with antibiotic resistance (intl1). Mean levels of FIB and clinically relevant ARGs (blaCMY and KPC) were similar across sites, while MST markers and intI1 occurred at higher mean levels at the natural site. The human-associated MST markers positively correlated with antibiotic resistant-associated genes at both sites, but no consistent associations were detected between culturable FIB and any molecular markers. For all microbial indicators, generalized additive mixed models were used to examine diurnal variability and whether this variability was associated with environmental factors (water temperature, turbidity, pH, and sunlight). We found that FIB peaked during morning and early afternoon hours and were not associated with environmental factors. With the exception of HF183/BacR287 at the urban site, molecular MST markers and intI1 exhibited diurnal variability, and water temperature, pH, and turbidity were significantly associated with this variability. For blaCMY and KPC, diurnal variability was present but was not correlated with environmental factors. These results suggest that differences in land use (natural or urban) both adjacent and upstream may impact overall levels of microbial contamination. Monitoring agencies should consider matching sample collection times with peak levels of target microbial indicators, which would be in the morning or early afternoon for the fecal associated indicators. Measuring multiple microbial indicators can lead to clearer interpretations of human health risk associated with exposure to contaminated water. | 2022 | 36439800 |
| 7174 | 14 | 0.9893 | 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 |
| 6834 | 15 | 0.9893 | Landscape of antibiotic resistance genes and bacterial communities in groundwater on the Tibetan Plateau, and distinguishing their difference with low-altitude counterparts. Groundwater is a vital source of drinking water for Tibetans. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and bacterial communities in groundwater on the Tibetan Plateau remain unclear. Furthermore, the characterization of their differences between high-altitude and low-altitude groundwater is still unrevealed. Herein, 32 groundwater samples were collected on the plateau, and intra- and extracellular ARGs (iARGs and eARGs), and bacterial communities were characterised through qPCR assays to 19 ARGs and 16S rRNA sequencing. It showed top four abundant intra- and extracellular last-resort ARGs (LARGs) were bla(OXA-48), mcr-1, vanA, and vanB, whereas dominant common ARGs (CARGs) were tetA and ermB, respectively. CARGs had higher abundances than LARGs, and iARGs were more frequently detected than eARGs. Proteobacteria, an invasive resident phylum, and Firmicutes dominated eDNA release. Network analysis revealed all observed LARGs co-occurred with pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria. Community diversity was significantly associated with longitude and elevation, while nitrate correlated with ARGs. Comparative analysis demonstrated eARG frequencies and abundances were higher at high altitudes than at low altitudes. Additionally, Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas specifically dominated at high altitudes. This study reveals the widespread prevalence of ARGs, particularly LARGs, in groundwater on the less-disturbed Tibetan Plateau and underlines the potential risks associated with the LARG-carrying bacteria. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATION: Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), which are defined as emerging environmental contaminants, are becoming a global concern due to their ability to confer antibiotic resistance to pathogens. Our findings highlight the prevalence of ARGs, particularly LARGs, in groundwater on the Tibetan Plateau, and the possibility that naturally-occurring pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria carry multiple LARGs. In addition, we further reveal differences in the distribution of ARGs and bacterial community between high-altitude and low-altitude groundwater. Collectively, our findings offer an important insight into the potential public risks related to groundwater on the Tibetan Plateau. | 2023 | 37595466 |
| 3075 | 16 | 0.9893 | Comparison of environmental microbiomes in an antibiotic resistance-polluted urban river highlights periphyton and fish gut communities as reservoirs of concern. Natural waterways near urban areas are heavily impacted by anthropogenic activities, including their microbial communities. A contaminant of growing public health concern in rivers is antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs), which can spread between neighboring bacteria and increase the potential for transmission of AR bacteria to animals and humans. To identify the matrices of most concern for AR, we compared ARG burdens and microbial community structures between sample types from the Scioto River Watershed, Ohio, the United States, from 2017 to 2018. Five environmental matrices (water, sediment, periphyton, detritus, and fish gut) were collected from 26 river sites. Due to our focus on clinically relevant ARGs, three carbapenem resistance genes (bla(KPC), bla(NDM), and bla(OXA-48)) were quantified via DropletDigital™ PCR. At a subset of nine urbanized sites, we conducted16S rRNA gene sequencing and functional gene predictions. Carbapenem resistance genes were quantified from all matrices, with bla(KPC) being the most detected (88 % of samples), followed by bla(NDM) (64 %) and bla(OXA-48) (23 %). Fish gut samples showed higher concentrations of bla(KPC) and bla(NDM) than any other matrix, indicating potential ARG bioaccumulation, and risk of broader dissemination through aquatic and nearshore food webs. Periphyton had higher concentrations of bla(NDM) than water, sediment, or detritus. Microbial community analysis identified differences by sample type in community diversity and structure. Sediment samples had the most diverse microbial communities, and detritus, the least. Spearman correlations did not reveal significant relationships between the concentrations of the monitored ARGs and microbial community diversity. However, several differentially abundant taxa and microbial functions were identified by sample type that is definitive of these matrices' roles in the river ecosystem and habitat type. In summary, the fish gut and periphyton are a concern as AR reservoirs due to their relatively high concentration of carbapenem resistance genes, diverse microbial communities, and natural functions that promote AR. | 2022 | 35973543 |
| 7175 | 17 | 0.9892 | Key Contribution and Risk of Airborne Antibiotic Resistance: Total Suspended Particles or Settled Dust? The atmosphere is an important environmental medium in spreading antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in animal farming systems, yet the exposure risks associated with airborne pathways remain underexplored. This study employed metagenomic sequencing to investigate the airborne transmission of AMR in chicken farms (i.e., chicken feces, total suspended particles (TSP), and dust) and its exposure risks on the gut and nasal cavities of workers, office staff, and nearby villagers. Results revealed that TSP exhibited greater abundance, diversity, and transfer potential of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) compared to dust. The abundance of airborne resistome decreased with distance from the chicken house, and ARGs were estimated to spread up to 9.48 km within 1 h. While the gut resistome of workers and villagers showed limited differences, emerging tet(X) variants and high-risk dfrA remain future concerns. More nasal resistome was attributable to TSP compared to dust. Workers faced significantly higher inhalable exposures to antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and human pathogenic antibiotic-resistant bacteria (HPARB), exceeding those of office staff and villagers by an order of magnitude. We also compiled lists of high-risk and potential-risk airborne ARGs to inform monitoring. These findings highlight the need for regular air disinfection in animal farms and better protective measures for workers. | 2025 | 40434009 |
| 7167 | 18 | 0.9892 | Occurrence and distribution of antibiotic pollution and antibiotic resistance genes in seagrass meadow sediments based on metagenomics. Seagrass meadows are one of the most important coastal ecosystems that provide essential ecological and economic services. The contamination levels of antibiotic and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in coastal ecosystems are severely elevated owing to anthropogenic disturbances, such as terrestrial input, aquaculture effluent, and sewage discharge. However, few studies have focused on the occurrence and distribution of antibiotics and their corresponding ARGs in this habitat. Thus, we investigated the antibiotic and ARGs profiles, microbial communities, and ARG-carrying host bacteria in typical seagrass meadow sediments collected from Swan Lake, Caofeidian shoal harbor, Qingdao Bay, and Sishili Bay in the Bohai Sea and northern Yellow Sea. The total concentrations of 30 detected antibiotics ranged from 99.35 to 478.02 μg/kg, tetracyclines were more prevalent than other antibiotics. Metagenomic analyses showed that 342 ARG subtypes associated with 22 ARG types were identified in the seagrass meadow sediments. Multidrug resistance genes and RanA were the most dominant ARG types and subtypes, respectively. Co-occurrence network analysis revealed that Halioglobus, Zeaxanthinibacter, and Aureitalea may be potential hosts at the genus level, and the relative abundances of these bacteria were higher in Sishili Bay than those in other areas. This study provided important insights into the pollution status of antibiotics and ARGs in typical seagrass meadow sediments. Effective management should be performed to control the potential ecological health risks in seagrass meadow ecosystems. | 2024 | 38782270 |
| 7993 | 19 | 0.9892 | Magnetic biochar/quaternary phosphonium salt reduced antibiotic resistome and pathobiome on pakchoi leaves. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and human pathogenic bacteria (HPB) in leafy vegetable is a matter of concern as they can be transferred from soil, atmosphere, and foliar sprays, and poses a potential risk to public health. While traditional disinfection technologies are effective in reducing the presence of ARGs and HPB in soil. A new technology, foliar spraying with magnetic biochar/quaternary ammonium salt (MBQ), was demonstrated and applied to the leaf surface. High-throughput quantitative PCR targeting 96 valid ARGs and 16 S rRNA sequencing were used to assess its efficacy in reducing ARGs and HPB. The results showed that spraying MBQ reduced 97.0 ± 0.81% of "high-risk ARGs", associated with seven classes of antibiotic resistance in pakchoi leaves within two weeks. Water washing could further reduce "high-risk ARGs" from pakchoi leaves by 19.8%- 24.6%. The relative abundance of HPB closely related to numerous ARGs was reduced by 15.2 ± 0.23% with MBQ application. Overall, this study identified the potential risk of ARGs from leafy vegetables and clarified the significant implications of MBQ application for human health as it offers a promising strategy for reducing ARGs and HPB in leafy vegetables. | 2023 | 37639796 |