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Timková I, Maliničová L, Nosáľová L, Kolesárová M, Lorková Z, Petrová N, Pristaš P, Kisková J. Genomic insights into the adaptation of Acinetobacter johnsonii RB2-047 to the heavy metal-contaminated subsurface mine environment. Biometals 2024; 37:371-387. [PMID: 37973678 PMCID: PMC11006771 DOI: 10.1007/s10534-023-00555-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
The subsurface mine environments characterized by high levels of toxic metals and low nutrient availability represent an extreme threat to bacterial persistence. In recent study, the genomic analysis of the Acinetobacter johnsonii strain RB2-047 isolated from the Rozália Gold Mine in Slovakia was performed. As expected, the studied isolate showed a high level of heavy metal tolerance (minimum inhibitory concentrations were 500 mg/L for copper and nickel, 1,500 mg/L for lead, and 250 mg/L for zinc). The RB2-047 strain also showed noticeable resistance to several antibiotics (ampicillin, kanamycin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline and ciprofloxacin). The genomic composition analysis demonstrated a low number of antibiotic and metal resistance coding genes, but a high occurrence of efflux transporter genes located on the bacterial chromosome. The experimental inhibition of efflux pumps resulted in decreased tolerance to Zn and Ni (but not to Cu and Pb) and to all antibiotics tested. In addition, the H33342 dye-accumulation assay confirmed the high efflux activity in the RB2-047 isolate. These findings showed the important role of efflux pumps in the adaptation of Acinetobacter johsonii strain RB2-047 to metal polluted mine environment as well as in development of multi-antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Timková
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Šrobárova 2, 04154, Košice, Slovakia
| | - Lenka Maliničová
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Šrobárova 2, 04154, Košice, Slovakia
| | - Lea Nosáľová
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Šrobárova 2, 04154, Košice, Slovakia
| | - Mariana Kolesárová
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Šrobárova 2, 04154, Košice, Slovakia
| | - Zuzana Lorková
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Šrobárova 2, 04154, Košice, Slovakia
| | - Nikola Petrová
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Šrobárova 2, 04154, Košice, Slovakia
| | - Peter Pristaš
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Šrobárova 2, 04154, Košice, Slovakia
- Centre of Biosciences, Institute of Animal Physiology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Šoltésovej 4-6, 04001, Košice, Slovakia
| | - Jana Kisková
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Šrobárova 2, 04154, Košice, Slovakia.
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Sajjad W, Ali B, Niu H, Ilahi N, Rafiq M, Bahadur A, Banerjee A, Kang S. High prevalence of antibiotic-resistant and metal-tolerant cultivable bacteria in remote glacier environment. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 239:117444. [PMID: 37858689 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Studies of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) have mainly originated from anthropic-influenced environments, with limited information from pristine environments. Remote cold environments are major reservoirs of ARB and have been determined in polar regions; however, their abundance in non-polar cold habitats is underexplored. This study evaluated antibiotics and metals resistance profiles, prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and metals tolerance genes (MTGs) in 38 ARB isolated from the glacier debris and meltwater from Baishui Glacier No 1, China. Molecular identification displayed Proteobacteria (39.3%) predominant in debris, while meltwater was dominated by Actinobacteria (30%) and Proteobacteria (30%). Bacterial isolates exhibited multiple antibiotic resistance index values > 0.2. Gram-negative bacteria displayed higher resistance to antibiotics and metals than Gram-positive. PCR amplification exhibited distinct ARGs in bacteria dominated by β-lactam genes blaCTX-M (21.1-71.1%), blaACC (21.1-60.5%), tetracycline-resistant gene tetA (21.1-60.5%), and sulfonamide-resistant gene sulI (18.4-52.6%). Moreover, different MTGs were reported in bacterial isolates, including mercury-resistant merA (21.1-63.2%), copper-resistant copB (18.4-57.9%), chromium-resistant chrA (15.8-44.7%) and arsenic-resistant arsB (10.5-44.7%). This highlights the co-selection and co-occurrence of MTGs and ARGs in remote glacier environments. Different bacteria shared same ARGs, signifying horizontal gene transfer between species. Strong positive correlation among ARGs and MTGs was reported. Metals tolerance range exhibited that Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria clustered distinctly. Gram-negative bacteria were significantly tolerant to metals. Amino acid sequences of blaACC,blaCTX-M,blaSHV,blaampC,qnrA, sulI, tetA and blaTEM revealed variations. This study presents promising ARB, harboring ARGs with variations in amino acid sequences, highlighting the need to assess the transcriptome study of glacier bacteria conferring ARGs and MTGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wasim Sajjad
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Barkat Ali
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Hewen Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China; National Field Science Observation and Research Station of Yulong Snow Mountain Cryosphere and Sustainable Development, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Nikhat Ilahi
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Muhammad Rafiq
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Informatics, Engineering and Management Sciences, Balochistan University of Information Technology, Quetta, Pakistan
| | - Ali Bahadur
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Abhishek Banerjee
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Shichang Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
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Coombs K, Rodriguez-Quijada C, Clevenger JO, Sauer-Budge AF. Current Understanding of Potential Linkages between Biocide Tolerance and Antibiotic Cross-Resistance. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2000. [PMID: 37630560 PMCID: PMC10459251 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11082000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobials (e.g., antibiotics and biocides) are invaluable chemicals used to control microbes in numerous contexts. Because of the simultaneous use of antibiotics and biocides, questions have arisen as to whether environments commonly treated with biocides (e.g., hospitals, food processing, wastewater, agriculture, etc.) could act as a reservoir for the development of antibiotic cross-resistance. Theoretically, cross-resistance could occur if the mechanism of bacterial tolerance to biocides also resulted in antibiotic resistance. On the other hand, biocides would likely present a higher evolutionary barrier to the development of resistance given the different modes of action between biocides and antibiotics and the broad-based physicochemical effects associated with most biocides. Published studies have shown that the induction of biocide tolerance in a laboratory can result in cross-resistance to some antibiotics, most commonly hypothesized to be due to efflux pump upregulation. However, testing of environmental isolates for biocide tolerance and antibiotic cross-resistance has yielded conflicting results, potentially due to the lack of standardized testing. In this review, we aim to describe the state of the science on the potential linkage between biocide tolerance and antibiotic cross-resistance. Questions still remain about whether the directed evolution of biocide tolerance and the associated antibiotic cross-resistance in a laboratory are or are not representative of real-world settings. Thus, research should continue to generate informative data to guide policies and preserve these tools' utility and availability.
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Yi X, Wen P, Liang JL, Jia P, Yang TT, Feng SW, Liao B, Shu WS, Li JT. Phytostabilization mitigates antibiotic resistance gene enrichment in a copper mine tailings pond. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 443:130255. [PMID: 36327844 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Mining-impacted environments are distributed globally and have become increasingly recognized as hotspots of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). However, there are currently no reports on treatment technologies to deal with such an important environmental problem. To narrow this knowledge gap, we implemented a phytostabilization project in an acidic copper mine tailings pond and employed metagenomics to explore ARG characteristics in the soil samples. Our results showed that phytostabilization decreased the total ARG abundance in 0-10 cm soil layer by 75 %, which was companied by a significant decrease in ARG mobility, and a significant increase in ARG diversity and microbial diversity. Phytostabilization was also found to drastically alter the ARG host composition and to significantly reduce the total abundance of virulence factor genes of ARG hosts. Soil nutrient status, heavy metal toxicity and SO42- concentration were important physicochemical factors to affect the total ARG abundance, while causal mediation analysis showed that their effects were largely mediated by the changes in ARG mobility and microbial diversity. The increase in ARG diversity associated with phytostabilization was mainly mediated by a small subgroup of ARG hosts, most of which could not be classified at the genus level and deserve further research in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinzhu Yi
- Institute of Ecological Science, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, PR China
| | - Ping Wen
- Institute of Ecological Science, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, PR China
| | - Jie-Liang Liang
- Institute of Ecological Science, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, PR China
| | - Pu Jia
- Institute of Ecological Science, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, PR China
| | - Tao-Tao Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, PR China
| | - Shi-Wei Feng
- Institute of Ecological Science, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, PR China
| | - Bin Liao
- School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, PR China
| | - Wen-Sheng Shu
- Institute of Ecological Science, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, PR China
| | - Jin-Tian Li
- Institute of Ecological Science, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, PR China.
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Lachka M, Soltisova K, Nosalova L, Timkova I, Pevna V, Willner J, Janakova I, Luptakova A, Sedlakova-Kadukova J. Metal-containing landfills as a source of antibiotic tolerance. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2023; 195:262. [PMID: 36600113 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-022-10873-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
To unveil the potential effect of metal presence to antibiotic tolerance proliferation, four sites of surface landfills containing tailings from metal processing in Slovakia (Hnúšťa, Hodruša, Košice) and Poland (Tarnowskie Góry) were investigated. Tolerance and multitolerance to selected metals (Cu, Ni, Pb, Fe, Zn, Cd) and antibiotics (ampicillin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, and kanamycin) and interrelationships between them were evaluated. A low bacterial diversity (Shannon-Wiener index from 0.83 to 2.263) was detected in all sampling sites. Gram-positive bacteria, mostly belonging to the phylum Actinobacteria, dominated in three of the four sampling sites. The recorded percentages of tolerant bacterial isolates varied considerably for antibiotics and metals from 0 to 57% and 0.8 to 47%, respectively, among the sampling sites. Tolerances to chloramphenicol (45-57%) and kanamycin (32-45%) were found in three sites. Multitolerance to several metals and antibiotics in the range of 24 to 48% was recorded for three sites. A significant positive correlation (p < 0.05) for the co-occurrence of tolerance to each studied metal and at least one of the antibiotics was observed. Exposure time to the metal (landfill duration) was an important factor for the development of metal- as well as antibiotic-tolerant isolates. The results show that metal-contaminated sites represent a significant threat for human health not only for their toxic effects but also for their pressure to antibiotic tolerance spread in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Lachka
- Faculty of Natural Science, University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, Nam. J. Herdu 2, 917 01, Trnava, Slovakia
| | - K Soltisova
- Faculty of Natural Science, Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Kosice, Srobarova 2, 041 54, Košice, Slovakia
| | - L Nosalova
- Faculty of Natural Science, Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Kosice, Srobarova 2, 041 54, Košice, Slovakia
| | - I Timkova
- Faculty of Natural Science, Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Kosice, Srobarova 2, 041 54, Košice, Slovakia
| | - V Pevna
- Faculty of Natural Science, Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Kosice, Srobarova 2, 041 54, Košice, Slovakia
| | - J Willner
- Faculty of Materials Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Ul. Akademicka 2A, 44 100, Gliwice, Poland
| | - I Janakova
- Faculty of Mining and Geology, VSB Technical University of Ostrava, 17. Listopadu 15, 708 00, Poruba, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - A Luptakova
- Institute of Geotechnics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Watsonova 45, 040 01, Košice, Slovakia
| | - J Sedlakova-Kadukova
- Faculty of Natural Science, University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, Nam. J. Herdu 2, 917 01, Trnava, Slovakia.
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Cultivable bacteria in the supraglacial lake formed after a glacial lake outburst flood in northern Pakistan. Int Microbiol 2022; 26:309-325. [PMID: 36484912 DOI: 10.1007/s10123-022-00306-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Recently, a supraglacial lake formed as a result of a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) in the Dook Pal Glacier. Lake debris and meltwater samples were collected from the supraglacial lake to determine bacterial diversity. Geochemical analyses of samples showed free amino acids (FAAs), anions, cations, and heavy metals. Comparable viable bacterial counts were observed in meltwater and debris samples. Using R2A media, a total of 52 bacterial isolates were identified: 40 from debris and 12 from meltwater. The relative abundance of Gram-positive (80.8%) bacteria was greater than Gram-negative (19.2%). Molecular identification of these isolates revealed that meltwater was dominated by Firmicutes (41.6%) and Proteobacteria (41.6%), while lake debris was dominated by Firmicutes (65.0%). The isolates belonged to 14 genera with the greatest relative abundance in Bacillus. Tolerance level of isolates to salts was high. Most of the Gram-positive bacteria were eurypsychrophiles, while most of the Gram-negative bacteria were stenopsychrophiles. Gram-negative bacteria displayed a higher minimum inhibitory concentration of selected heavy metals and antibiotics than Gram-positive. This first-ever study of culturable bacteria from a freshly formed supraglacial lake improves our understanding of the bacterial diversity and antibiotic resistance released from the glaciers as a result of GLOF.
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Arcadi E, Rastelli E, Tangherlini M, Rizzo C, Mancuso M, Sanfilippo M, Esposito V, Andaloro F, Romeo T. Shallow-Water Hydrothermal Vents as Natural Accelerators of Bacterial Antibiotic Resistance in Marine Coastal Areas. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10020479. [PMID: 35208933 PMCID: PMC8877554 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10020479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Environmental contamination by heavy metals (HMs) poses several indirect risks to human health, including the co-spreading of genetic traits conferring resistance to both HMs and antibiotics among micro-organisms. Microbial antibiotic resistance (AR) acquisition is enhanced at sites anthropogenically polluted by HMs, as well as in remote systems naturally enriched in HMs, such as hydrothermal vents in the deep sea. However, to date, the possible role of hydrothermal vents at shallower water depths as hot spots of microbial AR gain and spreading has not been tested, despite the higher potential risks associated with the closer vicinity of such ecosystems to coasts and human activities. In this work, we collected waters and sediments at the Panarea shallow-water hydrothermal vents, testing the presence of culturable marine bacteria and their sensitivity to antibiotics and HMs. All of the bacterial isolates showed resistance to at least one antibiotic and one HM and, most notably, 80% of them displayed multi-AR on average to 12 (min 8, max 15) different antibiotics, as well as multi-HM tolerance. We show that our isolates displayed high similarity (≥99%) to common marine bacteria, affiliating with Actinobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria and Firmicutes, and all displayed wide growth ranges for temperature and salinity during in vitro physiological tests. Notably, the analysis of the genomes available in public databases for their closest relatives highlighted the lack of genes for AR, posing new questions on the origin of multi-AR acquisition in this peculiar HM-rich environment. Overall, our results point out that shallow-water hydrothermal vents may contribute to enhance AR acquisition and spreading among common marine bacteria in coastal areas, highlighting this as a focus for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Arcadi
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica “Anton Dohrn”, Sicily Marine Centre, Contrada Porticatello, 29, 98167 Messina, Italy;
- Correspondence: (E.A.); (E.R.)
| | - Eugenio Rastelli
- Department of Marine Biotechnology, Stazione Zoologica “Anton Dohrn”, Fano Marine Centre, Viale Adriatico 1-N, 61032 Fano, Italy
- Correspondence: (E.A.); (E.R.)
| | - Michael Tangherlini
- Department of Research Infrastructures for Marine Biological Resources, Stazione Zoologica “Anton Dohrn”, Villa Comunale, 80121 Napoli, Italy;
| | - Carmen Rizzo
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn–Marine Biotechnology Department, Sicily Marine Centre, Villa Pace, Contrada Porticatello 29, 98167 Messina, Italy;
- Institute of Polar Sciences, National Research Council (CNR-ISP), Spianata S. Raineri 86, 98122 Messina, Italy
| | - Monique Mancuso
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica “Anton Dohrn”, Sicily Marine Centre, Contrada Porticatello, 29, 98167 Messina, Italy;
- Institute for Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnology (IRBIM), National Research Country (CNR), Messina, Spianata S. Raineri 86, 98122 Messina, Italy
| | - Marilena Sanfilippo
- Department of Research Infrastructures for Marine Biological Resources, Stazione Zoologica “Anton Dohrn”, Sicily Marine Centre, Contrada Porticatello, 29, 98167 Messina, Italy;
| | - Valentina Esposito
- Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale—OGS Borgo Grotta Gigante 42/C, 34010 Sgonico, Italy;
| | - Franco Andaloro
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica “Anton Dohrn”, Sicily Marine Centre, Lungomare Cristoforo Colombo (Complesso Roosevelt), 90149 Palermo, Italy;
| | - Teresa Romeo
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica “Anton Dohrn”, Sicily Marine Centre, Via dei Mille 46, 98057 Milazzo, Italy;
- National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, Via dei Mille 46, 98057 Milazzo, Italy
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Rizvi SG, Ahammad SZ. COVID-19 and antimicrobial resistance: A cross-study. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 807:150873. [PMID: 34634340 PMCID: PMC8500695 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is emerging as a severe concern due to the escalating instances of resistant human pathogens encountered by health workers. Consequently, there is a shortage of antibiotics to treat Multidrug Resistance (MDR) and Extensively Drug Resistance (XDR) patients. The primary cause of AMR is the vast array of anthropogenic disturbances in natural microfauna brought about by the extensive use of antibiotics. Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) has crashed antibiotic stewardship and single-handedly increased the global usage of antibiotics, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and biocide, causing a ripple effect in the existing global AMR problem. This surge in antibiotic usage has escalated the residual antibiotics reaching Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) from pharmaceutical companies, health care centers, and domestic settings. Ultimately the natural water bodies receiving their effluents will have higher concentrations of emerging contaminants as the WWTPs cannot remove the Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) completely. Furthermore, increased biocides usage will increase AMR by co-resistance, and increasing plastics will turn into microplastics and get converted to plastisphere, which will further enhance its propagation. Therefore, it is crucial to curb antibiotic usage, implement antibiotic stewardship dynamically; and, ameliorate the present condition of WWTPs to remove residual PPCPs efficiently. The need of the hour is to address the grave threat of AMR, which is loitering silently; if not the mankind will endure more affliction hereafter.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shaikh Ziauddin Ahammad
- Block I, Room # 135, Department of Biochemical Engineering & Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India.
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