Assessment of antimicrobial resistance throughout a wastewater treatment plant

Authors

  • O. Godinho Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal; CIMAR/CIIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Rua dos Bragas, 289, 4050-123 Porto, Portugal
  • B. S. Diogo Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal; CIMAR/CIIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Rua dos Bragas, 289, 4050-123 Porto, Portugal; Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, ICBAS, Universidade do Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
  • S. C. Antunes Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal; CIMAR/CIIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Rua dos Bragas, 289, 4050-123 Porto, Portugal
  • O. M. Lage Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal; CIMAR/CIIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Rua dos Bragas, 289, 4050-123 Porto, Portugal
  • S. Quinteira Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal; BIOPO-LIS/CIBIO-InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, nº 7, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal; TOXRUN-Toxicology Research Unit, University Institute of Health Sciences, CESPU, CRL., Avenida Central de Gandra 1317, 4585-116 Gandra PRD, Portugal

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.48797/sl.2023.75

Keywords:

Poster

Abstract

Background: As one of the leading worldwide causes of death, infections caused by antimicrobial resistant (AMR) pathogens, represent a global health crisis that can be tackled under the One Health approach [1]. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) have long been considered hotspots for transmission and selection of AMR genes and, as such, surveillance of AMR in WWTP is crucial [2, 3]. Objective: In this study we aimed to isolate AMR bacteria from different sites along a WWTP, and subsequently assess their phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility profiles, and search for different AMR genetic determinants. Methods: Wastewater samples were collected from four sites within a WWTP for the isolation of Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcus spp., and Enterococcus spp. and inoculated on MacConkey Agar (MCA), Mannitol Salt Agar (MSA), and Slanetz Bartley Agar (SBA), with and without supplementation with antibiotics: imipenem or ciprofloxacin in MCA, while vancomycin in MSA and SBA. Isolate’s phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility profiles were determined by disk diffusion assay for several antibiotics (representative of different classes), according to CLSI guidelines [4]. Presence of integrons and resistance genes was assessed through PCR amplification. Results: A total of 50 bacterial isolates were obtained, of which 25 were affiliated with the genus Enterococcus. Ten isolates were affiliated with Enterobacteriaceae, and no isolate affiliated with Staphylococcus spp. were retrieved. Other isolates were affiliated with clinically relevant species such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Aeromonas media. Phenotypic resistances were observed in isolates from all wastewater samples, being the most common to tetracycline and ampicillin. Three isolates were resistant to three distinct classes of antimicrobials. Preliminary PCR screening results showed presence of tet(M) and class 1 integrons. Conclusions: This study reflects the importance of monitoring WWTP for presence of AMR genes, since AMR strains are found from the raw influent of the WWTP to the final effluent discharged into the environment.

References

1. Organization, W.H., WHO, FAO, and OIE unite in the fight against antimicrobial resistance. 2016: https://www.who.int/foodsafety/areas_work/antimicrobial-resistance/tripartite/en/.

2. Michael, I., et al., Urban wastewater treatment plants as hotspots for the release of antibiotics in the environment: a review. Water Res, 2013. 47(3): p. 957-95.

3. Milobedzka, A., et al., Monitoring antibiotic resistance genes in wastewater environments: The challenges of filling a gap in the One-Health cycle. J Hazard Mater, 2022. 424(Pt C): p. 127407.

4. (CLSI), C.a.L.S.I., Performance Standards for Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing 30th edition, in Supplement M100. 2020: Pennsylvania, USA.

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Published

2023-04-21

How to Cite

Godinho , O. ., Diogo , B. S., Antunes , S. C., Lage , O. M., & Quinteira , S. (2023). Assessment of antimicrobial resistance throughout a wastewater treatment plant . Scientific Letters, 1(Sup 1). https://doi.org/10.48797/sl.2023.75

Issue

Vol. 1 No. Sup 1 (2023)

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Copyright (c) 2023 O. Godinho , B. S. Diogo , S. C. Antunes , O. M. Lage , S. Quinteira

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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