1
|
Peters AC, Larsson DGJ, Laxminarayan R, Munthe C. Barriers and pathways to environmental surveillance of antibiotic resistance in middle- and low-income settings: a qualitative exploratory key expert study. Glob Health Action 2024; 17:2343318. [PMID: 38813982 PMCID: PMC11141306 DOI: 10.1080/16549716.2024.2343318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Local and global surveillance of antibiotic resistance (ABR) has proven a challenge to implement effectively in low- and middleincome (LMI) settings. Environmental surveillance solutions are increasingly highlighted as a strategy to help overcome such problems, and thus to promote global health as well as the local management of ABR in LMI countries. While technical and scientific aspects of such solutions are being probed continuously, no study has investigated their practical feasibility. OBJECTIVE Explore practical barriers for environmental surveillance of ABR in LMI countries, and pathways for surveillance experts to manage these. METHODS To start charting this unknown territory, we conducted an explorative, qualitative interview study with key informants, applying a constructivist grounded theory approach to analyze the results. RESULTS Barriers were identified across infrastructural, institutional and social dimensions, and pathways to manage them were mostly counterproductive from an ABR management perspective, including avoiding entire regions, applying substandard methods and failing to include local collaborators. CONCLUSION The research community as well as international agencies, organizations and states have key roles and responsibilities for improving the prospects of feasible environmental ABR surveillance in LMI-settings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Christin Peters
- Department of Philosophy, Linguistics and Theory of Science, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - D. G. Joakim Larsson
- Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Institute for Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ramanan Laxminarayan
- One Health Trust, Washington, DC, USA
- One Health Trust, Bangalore, India
- High Meadows Environmental Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Christian Munthe
- Department of Philosophy, Linguistics and Theory of Science, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), Gothenburg, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Al-Mustapha AI, Tiwari A, Johansson V, Heljanko V, Kirsi-Maarit L, Lipponen A, Oikarinen S, Pitkänen T, Heikinheimo A. Characterization of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus Aureus in municipal wastewater in Finland. One Health 2024; 19:100881. [PMID: 39263321 PMCID: PMC11388770 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2024.100881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2024] [Revised: 08/18/2024] [Accepted: 08/18/2024] [Indexed: 09/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) of multidrug-resistant bacteria could complement clinical data, serving as a population-level early warning tool. This study evaluated WBS as a pandemic preparedness tool, by selectively isolating and culturing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) with CHROMagar MRSA. Some 24-h composite wastewater samples (n = 80) were collected from ten treatment plants across Finland between February 2021 and January 2022. MRSA prevalence in wastewater samples was 27.5% (n = 22/80), showing seasonal and temporal variations. Phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) with microdilution showed that over 80% of isolates were drug-resistant to clindamycin, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, tetracycline, fusidic acid, and erythromycin. Four isolates (18.2%) were vancomycin-resistant. WGS revealed that 31.8% (n = 7) of the isolates belonged to the ST8-t008 and ST6-t304 spa types, respectively. In addition, two spa types (t011 and t034) belong to the CC398 complex. The mecA gene was found in all isolates (n = 22) and three tetracycline resistance determinants (tet38, tetK, and tetM) were detected with tet38 being the most abundant (81.8%, n = 18/22). Three isolates harboured the plasmid-mediated sat4 gene that confers resistance to Streptothricin. In addition, resistance determinants to macrolide antibiotics (mph (C)/msr (A) and fosfomycin (fosB) were detected in the seven isolates that belonged to spa type t008. All isolates except one harboured the SCCmec_type_IVa(2B). Six ST8 isolates harboured the LukS/F-PV genes encoding the Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) and were also positive for the Arginine Catabolic Mobile Element (ACME), suggesting they belong to the USA300 clone. The Inc18 plasmid was the most abundant as it was detected in 72.7% (n = 16/22) of the isolates. Other plasmid replicons detected were the rep_trans and repA_N which were detected in 45.4% (n = 10/22) and 40.9% (n = 9/22) of the isolates respectively. Ten isolates harboured at least three plasmid replicons and no plasmid replicons were detected in four isolates (ST6/t304). The cgMLST revealed that some isolates aggregated into two genomically indistinguishable clusters: ST6/t304 belonging to cluster type CT12405 (≤20 allelic differences) and ST8/t008 belonging to cluster type CT1925 (<8 allelic differences). Overall, we found a high genotypic concordance with the national clinical bacterial resistance data. Our study demonstrates the sensitivity of culture-based wastewater surveillance for MRSA using clinical media following pre-enrichment, reliably predicting pathogen occurrence at the population level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Ibrahim Al-Mustapha
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Services, Kwara State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
| | - Ananda Tiwari
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, THL, Department of Health Security, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Venla Johansson
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Viivi Heljanko
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Lehto Kirsi-Maarit
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
- Tampere University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere, Finland
| | - Anssi Lipponen
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, THL, Department of Health Security, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Sami Oikarinen
- Tampere University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere, Finland
| | - Tarja Pitkänen
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, THL, Department of Health Security, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Annamari Heikinheimo
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
- Finnish Food Authority, Ruokavirasto, Seinäjoki, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Tiwari A, Radu E, Kreuzinger N, Ahmed W, Pitkänen T. Key considerations for pathogen surveillance in wastewater. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 945:173862. [PMID: 38876348 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173862] [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: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
Wastewater surveillance (WWS) has received significant attention as a rapid, sensitive, and cost-effective tool for monitoring various pathogens in a community. WWS is employed to assess the spatial and temporal trends of diseases and identify their early appearances and reappearances, as well as to detect novel and mutated variants. However, the shedding rates of pathogens vary significantly depending on factors such as disease severity, the physiology of affected individuals, and the characteristics of pathogen. Furthermore, pathogens may exhibit differential fate and decay kinetics in the sewerage system. Variable shedding rates and decay kinetics may affect the detection of pathogens in wastewater. This may influence the interpretation of results and the conclusions of WWS studies. When selecting a pathogen for WWS, it is essential to consider it's specific characteristics. If data are not readily available, factors such as fate, decay, and shedding rates should be assessed before conducting surveillance. Alternatively, these factors can be compared to those of similar pathogens for which such data are available.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ananda Tiwari
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Health Security, Kuopio, Finland; University of Helsinki, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Elena Radu
- Institute for Water Quality and Resource Management, Vienna University of Technology, Karlsplatz 13/226, 1040 Vienna, Austria; Stefan S. Nicolau Institute of Virology, Department of Cellular and Molecular Pathology, 285 Mihai Bravu Avenue, 030304 Bucharest, Romania; University of Medicine and Pharmacy Carol Davila, Department of Virology, 37 Dionisie Lupu Street, 020021 Bucharest, Romania.
| | - Norbert Kreuzinger
- Institute for Water Quality and Resource Management, Vienna University of Technology, Karlsplatz 13/226, 1040 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Warish Ahmed
- CSIRO Environment, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, QLD 4102, Australia.
| | - Tarja Pitkänen
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Health Security, Kuopio, Finland; University of Helsinki, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Helsinki, Finland.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Knight ME, Webster G, Perry WB, Baldwin A, Rushton L, Pass DA, Cross G, Durance I, Muziasari W, Kille P, Farkas K, Weightman AJ, Jones DL. National-scale antimicrobial resistance surveillance in wastewater: A comparative analysis of HT qPCR and metagenomic approaches. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 262:121989. [PMID: 39018584 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121989] [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: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
Wastewater serves as an important reservoir of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and its surveillance can provide insights into population-level trends in AMR to inform public health policy. This study compared two common high-throughput screening approaches, namely (i) high-throughput quantitative PCR (HT qPCR), targeting 73 antimicrobial resistance genes, and (ii) metagenomic sequencing. Weekly composite samples of wastewater influent were taken from 47 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) across Wales, as part of a national AMR surveillance programme, alongside 4 weeks of daily wastewater effluent samples from a large municipal hospital. Metagenomic analysis provided more comprehensive resistome coverage, detecting 545 genes compared to the targeted 73 genes by HT qPCR. It further provided contextual information critical to risk assessment (i.e. potential bacterial hosts). In contrast, HT qPCR exhibited higher sensitivity, quantifying all targeted genes including those of clinical relevance present at low abundance. When limited to the HT qPCR target genes, both methods were able to reflect the spatiotemporal dynamics of the complete metagenomic resistome, distinguishing that of the hospital and the WWTPs. Both approaches revealed correlations between resistome compositional shifts and environmental variables like ammonium wastewater concentration, though differed in their interpretation of some potential influencing factors. Overall, metagenomics provides more comprehensive resistome profiling, while qPCR permits sensitive quantification of genes significant to clinical resistance. We highlight the importance of selecting appropriate methodologies aligned to surveillance aims to guide the development of effective wastewater-based AMR monitoring programmes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Margaret E Knight
- School of Environmental & Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, LL57 2UW, Wales, UK.
| | - Gordon Webster
- Microbiomes, Microbes and Informatics Group, Organisms and Environment Division, School of Biosciences, Museum Avenue, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, Wales, UK
| | - William B Perry
- Water Research Institute, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, Wales, UK
| | - Amy Baldwin
- Microbiomes, Microbes and Informatics Group, Organisms and Environment Division, School of Biosciences, Museum Avenue, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, Wales, UK
| | - Laura Rushton
- Microbiomes, Microbes and Informatics Group, Organisms and Environment Division, School of Biosciences, Museum Avenue, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, Wales, UK
| | - Daniel A Pass
- Compass Bioinformatics, 17 Habershon Street, Cardif, CF24 2DU, Wales, UK
| | - Gareth Cross
- Science Evidence Advice Division, Health and Social Services Group, Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ, Wales, UK
| | - Isabelle Durance
- Water Research Institute, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, Wales, UK
| | - Windi Muziasari
- Resistomap Oy, Cultivator II, Viikinkaari 4, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Peter Kille
- Microbiomes, Microbes and Informatics Group, Organisms and Environment Division, School of Biosciences, Museum Avenue, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, Wales, UK
| | - Kata Farkas
- School of Environmental & Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, LL57 2UW, Wales, UK
| | - Andrew J Weightman
- Microbiomes, Microbes and Informatics Group, Organisms and Environment Division, School of Biosciences, Museum Avenue, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, Wales, UK
| | - Davey L Jones
- School of Environmental & Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, LL57 2UW, Wales, UK
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Zambre S, Katarmal P, Pawar S, Dawkhar S, Iyer P, Rajput V, Kadam P, Bhalerao U, Tupekar M, Shah P, Karmodiya K, Dharne M, Roy B, Koraktar S. Wastewater surveillance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 in open drains of two Indian megacities captures evolutionary lineage transitions: a zonation approach. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:49670-49681. [PMID: 39078552 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-34448-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024]
Abstract
Wastewater-based environmental surveillance (WBES) has been proven as proxy tool for monitoring nucleic acids of pathogens shed by infected population before clinical outcomes. The poor sewershed network of low to middle-income countries (LMICs) leads to most of the wastewater flow through open drains. We studied the effectiveness of WBES using open drain samples to monitor the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 variants in 2 megacities of India having dense population through zonation approach. Samples from 28 locations spanned into 5 zones of Pune region, Maharashtra, India, were collected on a weekly basis during October 2021 to July 2022. Out of 1115 total processed samples, 303 (~ 27%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. The periodical rise and fall in the percentage positivity of the samples was found to be in sync with the abundance of SARS-CoV-2 RNA and the reported COVID-19 active cases for Pune city. Sequencing of the RNA obtained from wastewater samples confirmed the presence of SARS-CoV-2. Of 337 sequences, lineage identification for 242 samples revealed 265 distinct SARS-CoV-2 variants including 10 highly transmissible ones. Importantly, transition from Delta to Omicron variant could be detected in wastewater samples 2 weeks prior to any clinically reported Omicron cases in India. Thus, this study demonstrates the usefulness of open drain samples for real-time monitoring of a viral pathogen's evolutionary dynamics and could be implemented in LMICs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Saee Zambre
- Symbiosis School of Biological Sciences, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Lavale, Maharashtra, India
| | - Poonam Katarmal
- Symbiosis School of Biological Sciences, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Lavale, Maharashtra, India
| | - Shubhankar Pawar
- Symbiosis School of Biological Sciences, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Lavale, Maharashtra, India
| | - Snehal Dawkhar
- Symbiosis School of Biological Sciences, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Lavale, Maharashtra, India
| | - Parvati Iyer
- Symbiosis School of Biological Sciences, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Lavale, Maharashtra, India
| | - Vinay Rajput
- National Collection of Industrial Microorganisms (NCIM), Biochemical Sciences Division, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), Pune, Maharashtra, 411008, India
| | - Pradnya Kadam
- Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, Maharashtra, 41108, India
| | - Unnati Bhalerao
- Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, Maharashtra, 41108, India
| | - Manisha Tupekar
- Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, Maharashtra, 41108, India
| | - Priyanki Shah
- Pune Knowledge Cluster (PKC), Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | - Krishanpal Karmodiya
- Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, Maharashtra, 41108, India
| | - Mahesh Dharne
- National Collection of Industrial Microorganisms (NCIM), Biochemical Sciences Division, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), Pune, Maharashtra, 411008, India
| | - Bishnudeo Roy
- Symbiosis School of Biological Sciences, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Lavale, Maharashtra, India
| | - Santosh Koraktar
- Symbiosis School of Biological Sciences, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Lavale, Maharashtra, India.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
George PBL, Hillary LS, Leclerc S, Cooledge EC, Lemieux J, Duchaine C, Jones DL. Needles in haystacks: monitoring the potential escape of bioaerosolised antibacterial resistance genes from wastewater treatment plants with air and phyllosphere sampling. Can J Microbiol 2024; 70:348-357. [PMID: 38608289 DOI: 10.1139/cjm-2023-0226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plants are well-known point sources of emissions of antibacterial resistance genes (ARGs) into the environment. Although most work to date has focused on ARG dispersal via effluent, aerial dispersal in bioaerosols is a poorly understood, but likely important vector for ARG dispersal. Recent evidence suggests that ARG profiles of the conifer needle phyllosphere could be used to measure bioaerosol dispersal from anthropogenic sources. Here, we assessed airborne dispersal of ARGs from wastewater treatment plants in Wales, UK and Quebec, Canada, using conifer needles as passive bioaerosol monitors. ARG profiles of wastewater were compared to those of conifer phyllosphere using high-throughput qPCR. ARG richness was significantly lower in conifer phyllosphere samples than wastewater samples, though no differences were observed across the dispersal gradients. Mean copy number of ARGs followed a similar trend. ARG profiles showed limited, but consistent patterns with increasing distance from wastewater treatment plants, but these did not align with those of wastewater samples. For example, proportional abundance of aminoglycosides decreased over the dispersal gradient in Wales, whereas mobile genetic elements showed the inverse relationship. In summary, while distinct ARG profiles exist along dispersal gradients, links to those of wastewater were not apparent.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paul B L George
- Département de biochimie, de microbiologie et de bio-informatique, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
- Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie, Quebec City, QC G1V 4G5, Canada
| | - Luke S Hillary
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Samantha Leclerc
- Département de biochimie, de microbiologie et de bio-informatique, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
- Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie, Quebec City, QC G1V 4G5, Canada
| | - Emily C Cooledge
- School of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, UK
| | - Joanie Lemieux
- Département de biochimie, de microbiologie et de bio-informatique, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
- Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie, Quebec City, QC G1V 4G5, Canada
| | - Caroline Duchaine
- Département de biochimie, de microbiologie et de bio-informatique, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
- Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie, Quebec City, QC G1V 4G5, Canada
| | - Davey L Jones
- School of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, UK
- Food Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Azuma T, Usui M, Hasei T, Hayashi T. On-Site Inactivation for Disinfection of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in Hospital Effluent by UV and UV-LED. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024; 13:711. [PMID: 39200012 PMCID: PMC11350808 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13080711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2024] [Revised: 07/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/28/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is not limited to the medical field but is also becoming prevalent on a global scale in the environmental field. Environmental water pollution caused by the discharge of wastewater into aquatic environments has caused concern in the context of the sustainable development of modern society. However, there have been few studies focused on the treatment of hospital wastewater, and the potential consequences of this remain unknown. This study evaluated the efficacy of the inactivation of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria (AMRB) and antimicrobial resistance genes (AMRGs) in model wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) wastewater and hospital effluent based on direct ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation provided by a conventional mercury lamp with a peak wavelength of 254 nm and an ultraviolet light-emitting diode (UV-LED) with a peak emission of 280 nm under test conditions in which the irradiance of both was adjusted to the same intensity. The overall results indicated that both UV- and UV-LED-mediated disinfection effectively inactivated the AMRB in both wastewater types (>99.9% after 1-3 min of UV and 3 min of UV-LED treatment). Additionally, AMRGs were also removed (0.2-1.4 log10 for UV 254 nm and 0.1-1.3 log10 for UV 280 nm), and notably, there was no statistically significant decrease (p < 0.05) in the AMRGs between the UV and UV-LED treatments. The results of this study highlight the importance of utilizing a local inactivation treatment directly for wastewater generated by a hospital prior to its flow into a WWTP as sewage. Although additional disinfection treatment at the WWTP is likely necessary to remove the entire quantity of AMRB and AMRGs, the present study contributes to a significant reduction in the loads of WWTP and urgent prevention of the spread of infectious diseases, thus alleviating the potential threat to the environment and human health risks associated with AMR problems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Azuma
- Department of Pharmacy, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Takatsuki 569-1094, Japan; (T.H.); (T.H.)
| | - Masaru Usui
- Food Microbiology and Food Safety, Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, Ebetsu 069-8501, Japan;
| | - Tomohiro Hasei
- Department of Pharmacy, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Takatsuki 569-1094, Japan; (T.H.); (T.H.)
| | - Tetsuya Hayashi
- Department of Pharmacy, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Takatsuki 569-1094, Japan; (T.H.); (T.H.)
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Nainani D, Ng WJ, Wuertz S, Thompson JR. Balancing public health and group privacy: Ethics, rights, and obligations for wastewater surveillance systems. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 258:121756. [PMID: 38781624 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121756] [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: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
As the threat of COVID-19 recedes, wastewater surveillance - unlike other pandemic-era public health surveillance methods - seems here to stay. Concerns have been raised, however, about the potential risks that wastewater surveillance might pose towards group privacy. Existing scholarship has focused upon using ethics- or human rights-based frameworks as a means of balancing the public health objectives of wastewater surveillance and the potential risks it might pose to group privacy. However, such frameworks greatly lack enforceability. In order to further the strong foundation laid by such frameworks - while addressing their lack of enforceability - this paper proposes the idea of the 'obligation' as an alternative way to regulate wastewater surveillance systems. The legal codification of said obligations provides a method of ensuring that wastewater surveillance systems can be deployed effectively and equitably. Our paper proposes that legal obligations for wastewater surveillance can be created and enforced through transparent and purposeful legislation (which would include limits on power and grant institutions substantial oversight) as well as paying heed to non-legislative legal means of enforcement, such as through courts or contracts. Introducing legal obligations for wastewater surveillance could therefore be highly useful to researchers, policymakers, corporate technologists, and government agencies working in this field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dhiraj Nainani
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Wei Jie Ng
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Stefan Wuertz
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Janelle R Thompson
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Delpy L, Astbury CC, Aenishaenslin C, Ruckert A, Penney TL, Wiktorowicz M, Ciss M, Benko R, Bordier M. Integrated surveillance systems for antibiotic resistance in a One Health context: a scoping review. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:1717. [PMID: 38937706 PMCID: PMC11210117 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-19158-6] [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: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Antibiotic resistance (ABR) has emerged as a major threat to health. Properly informed decisions to mitigate this threat require surveillance systems that integrate information on resistant bacteria and antibiotic use in humans, animals, and the environment, in line with the One Health concept. Despite a strong call for the implementation of such integrated surveillance systems, we still lack a comprehensive overview of existing organizational models for integrated surveillance of ABR. To address this gap, we conducted a scoping review to characterize existing integrated surveillance systems for ABR. METHODS The literature review was conducted using the PRISMA guidelines. The selected integrated surveillance systems were assessed according to 39 variables related to their organization and functioning, the socio-economic and political characteristics of their implementation context, and the levels of integration reached, together with their related outcomes. We conducted two distinct, complementary analyses on the data extracted: a descriptive analysis to summarize the characteristics of the integrated surveillance systems, and a multiple-correspondence analysis (MCA) followed by a hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) to identify potential typology for surveillance systems. RESULTS The literature search identified a total of 1330 records. After the screening phase, 59 references were kept from which 14 integrated surveillance systems were identified. They all operate in high-income countries and vary in terms of integration, both at informational and structural levels. The different systems combine information from a wide range of populations and commodities -in the human, animal and environmental domains, collection points, drug-bacterium pairs, and rely on various diagnostic and surveillance strategies. A variable level of collaboration was found for the governance and/or operation of the surveillance activities. The outcomes of integration are poorly described and evidenced. The 14 surveillance systems can be grouped into four distinct clusters, characterized by integration level in the two dimensions. The level of resources and regulatory framework in place appeared to play a major role in the establishment and organization of integrated surveillance. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that operationalization of integrated surveillance for ABR is still not well established at a global scale, especially in low and middle-income countries and that the surveillance scope is not broad enough to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the complex dynamics of ABR to appropriately inform mitigation measures. Further studies are needed to better characterize the various integration models for surveillance with regard to their implementation context and evaluate the outcome of these models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Léo Delpy
- ASTRE, University of Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Montpellier, France
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, Dakar, Senegal
- National Laboratory for Livestock and Veterinary Research, Senegalese Institute of Research in Agriculture, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Chloe Clifford Astbury
- Global Food Systems & Policy Research, School of Global Health, York University, Toronto, Canada
- Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research, York University, Toronto, Canada
| | - Cécile Aenishaenslin
- Research Group On Epidemiology of Zoonoses and Public Health (GREZOSP), University of Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
- Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique de L'Université de Montréal Et du Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé Et de Services Sociaux (CIUSS) du Centre-Sud-de-L'île-de-Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Arne Ruckert
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Tarra L Penney
- Global Food Systems & Policy Research, School of Global Health, York University, Toronto, Canada
- Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research, York University, Toronto, Canada
| | - Mary Wiktorowicz
- Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research, York University, Toronto, Canada
- School of Global Health, York University, Toronto, Canada
| | - Mamadou Ciss
- National Laboratory for Livestock and Veterinary Research, Senegalese Institute of Research in Agriculture, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Ria Benko
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Marion Bordier
- ASTRE, University of Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Montpellier, France.
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, Dakar, Senegal.
- National Laboratory for Livestock and Veterinary Research, Senegalese Institute of Research in Agriculture, Dakar, Senegal.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Donchev D, Ivanov IN, Stoikov I, Ivanova M. Metagenomic Investigation of the Short-Term Temporal and Spatial Dynamics of the Bacterial Microbiome and the Resistome Downstream of a Wastewater Treatment Plant in the Iskar River in Bulgaria. Microorganisms 2024; 12:1250. [PMID: 38930632 PMCID: PMC11207046 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12061250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2024] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Waste Water Treatment Plants (WWTP) aim to reduce contamination in effluent water; however, studies indicate antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) persist post-treatment, potentially leading to their spread from human populated areas into the environment. This study evaluated the impact of a large WWTP serving 125,000 people on the Iskar River in Bulgaria, by characterizing the spatial and short-term temporal dynamics in bacterial community dynamics and resistance profiles of the surface water. Pairs of samples were collected biweekly on four dates from two different locations, one about 800 m after the WWTP effluents and the other 10 km downstream. Taxonomic classification revealed the dominance of Pseudomonodota and Bacteriodota, notably the genera Flavobacterium, Aquirufa, Acidovorax, Polynucleobacter, and Limnohabitans. The taxonomic structure corresponded with both lentic and lotic freshwater habitats, with Flavobacterium exhibiting a significant decrease over the study period. Principal Coordinate Analysis revealed statistically significant differences in bacterial community composition between samples collected on different dates. Differential abundance analysis identified notable enrichment of Polynucleobacter and Limnohabitans. There were shifts within the enriched or depleted bacterial taxa between early and late sampling dates. High relative abundance of the genes erm(B), erm(F), mph(E), msr(E) (macrolides); tet(C), tet(O), tet(W), tet(Q) and tet(X) (tetracyclines); sul1 and sul2 (sulphonamides); and cfxA3, cfxA6 (beta-lactams) were detected, with trends of increased presence in the latest sampling dates and in the location closer to the WWTP. Of note, genes conferring resistance to carbapenems blaOXA-58 and blaIMP-33-like were identified. Co-occurrence analysis of ARGs and mobile genetic elements on putative plasmids showed few instances, and the estimated human health risk score (0.19) according to MetaCompare2.0 was low. In total, 29 metagenome-assembled genomes were recovered, with only a few harbouring ARGs. This study enhances our understanding of freshwater microbial community dynamics and antibiotic resistance profiles, highlighting the need for continued ARGs monitoring.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Deyan Donchev
- National Reference Laboratory for Control and Monitoring of Antimicrobial Resistance, Department of Microbiology, National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, 26 Yanko Sakazov Blvd., 1504 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Ivan N. Ivanov
- National Reference Laboratory for Control and Monitoring of Antimicrobial Resistance, Department of Microbiology, National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, 26 Yanko Sakazov Blvd., 1504 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Ivan Stoikov
- National Reference Laboratory for Control and Monitoring of Antimicrobial Resistance, Department of Microbiology, National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, 26 Yanko Sakazov Blvd., 1504 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Monika Ivanova
- Paralax Life Sciences, Sofia Center, 47 Bacho Kiro Str., 1202 Sofia, Bulgaria
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
McConn BR, Kraft AL, Durso LM, Ibekwe AM, Frye JG, Wells JE, Tobey EM, Ritchie S, Williams CF, Cook KL, Sharma M. An analysis of culture-based methods used for the detection and isolation of Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, and Enterococcus spp. from surface water: A systematic review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 927:172190. [PMID: 38575025 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172190] [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: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Identification of methods for the standardized assessment of bacterial pathogens and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in environmental water can improve the quality of monitoring and data collected, support global surveillance efforts, and enhance the understanding of environmental water sources. We conducted a systematic review to assemble and synthesize available literature that identified methods for assessment of prevalence and abundance of bacterial fecal indicators and pathogens in water for the purposes of monitoring bacterial pathogens and AMR. After screening for quality, 175 unique publications were identified from 15 databases, and data were extracted for analysis. This review identifies the most common and robust methods, and media used to isolate target organisms from surface water sources, summarizes methodological trends, and recognizes knowledge gaps. The information presented in this review will be useful when establishing standardized methods for monitoring bacterial pathogens and AMR in water in the United States and globally.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Betty R McConn
- Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Education/U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD, United States of America
| | - Autumn L Kraft
- Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Education/U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD, United States of America
| | - Lisa M Durso
- USDA ARS Agroecoystem Management Research, Lincoln, NE, United States of America
| | - Abasiofiok M Ibekwe
- USDA ARS, Agricultural Water Efficiency and Salinity Research Unit, Riverside, CA, United States of America
| | - Jonathan G Frye
- USDA ARS, U.S. National Poultry Research Center, Poultry Microbiological Safety and Processing Research Unit, Athens, GA, United States of America
| | - James E Wells
- USDA ARS, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Meat Safety and Quality, Clay Center, NE, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth M Tobey
- USDA National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD, United States of America
| | - Stephanie Ritchie
- USDA National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD, United States of America
| | - Clinton F Williams
- USDA ARS, US Arid-Land Agricultural Research Center, Maricopa, AZ, United States of America
| | - Kimberly L Cook
- USDA ARS, Nutrition, Food Safety and Quality National Program Staff, Beltsville, MD, United States of America
| | - Manan Sharma
- USDA ARS Environmental Microbial and Food Safety Laboratory, Beltsville, MD, United States of America.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Conforti S, Holschneider A, Sylvestre É, Julian TR. Monitoring ESBL- Escherichia coli in Swiss wastewater between November 2021 and November 2022: insights into population carriage. mSphere 2024; 9:e0076023. [PMID: 38606968 PMCID: PMC11328990 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00760-23] [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: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a global health threat, causing millions of deaths annually, with expectations of increased impact in the future. Wastewater surveillance offers a cost-effective, non-invasive tool to understand AMR carriage trends within a population. We monitored extended-spectrum β-lactamase producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-E. coli) weekly in influent wastewater from six wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Switzerland (November 2021 to November 2022) to investigate spatio-temporal variations, explore correlations with environmental variables, develop a predictive model for ESBL-E. coli carriage in the community, and detect the most prevalent ESBL-genes. We cultured total and ESBL-E. coli in 300 wastewater samples to quantify daily loads and percentage of ESBL-E. coli. Additionally, we screened 234 ESBL-E. coli isolates using molecular methods for the presence of 18 ESBL-gene families. We found a population-weighted mean percentage of ESBL-E. coli of 1.9% (95% confidence interval: 1.8-2%) across all sites and weeks, which can inform ESBL-E. coli carriage. Concentrations of ESBL-E. coli varied across WWTPs and time, with higher values observed in WWTPs serving larger populations. Recent precipitations (previous 24/96 h) showed no significant association with ESBL-E. coli, while temperature occasionally had a moderate impact (P < 0.05, correlation coefficients approximately 0.40) in some locations. We identified blaCTX-M-1, blaCTX-M-9, and blaTEM as the predominant ESBL-gene families. Our study demonstrates that wastewater-based surveillance of culturable ESBL-E. coli provides insights into AMR trends in Switzerland and may also inform resistance. These findings establish a foundation for long term, nationally established monitoring protocols and provide information that may help inform targeted public health interventions. IMPORTANCE Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health threat and is commonly monitored in clinical settings, given its association with the risk of antimicrobial-resistant infections. Nevertheless, tracking AMR within a community proves challenging due to the substantial sample size required for a representative population, along with high associated costs and privacy concerns. By investigating high resolution temporal and geographic trends in extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing Escherichia coli in wastewater, we provide an alternative approach to monitor AMR dynamics, distinct from the conventional clinical settings focus. Through this approach, we develop a mechanistic model, shedding light on the relationship between wastewater indicators and AMR carriage in the population. This perspective contributes valuable insights into trends of AMR carriage, emphasizing the importance of wastewater surveillance in informing effective public health interventions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sheena Conforti
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Basel, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB), Basel, Switzerland
| | - Aurélie Holschneider
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Émile Sylvestre
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Timothy R Julian
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Tiwari A, Lehto KM, Paspaliari DK, Al-Mustapha AI, Sarekoski A, Hokajärvi AM, Länsivaara A, Hyder R, Luomala O, Lipponen A, Oikarinen S, Heikinheimo A, Pitkänen T. Developing wastewater-based surveillance schemes for multiple pathogens: The WastPan project in Finland. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 926:171401. [PMID: 38467259 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171401] [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: 12/02/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Wastewater comprises multiple pathogens and offers a potential for wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) to track the prevalence of communicable diseases. The Finnish WastPan project aimed to establish wastewater-based pandemic preparedness for multiple pathogens (viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi), including antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This article outlines WastPan's experiences in this project, including the criteria for target selection, sampling locations, frequency, analysis methods, and results communication. Target selection relied on epidemiological and microbiological evidence and practical feasibility. Within the WastPan framework, wastewater samples were collected between 2021 and 2023 from 10 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) covering 40 % of Finland's population. WWTP selection was validated for reported cases of Extended Spectrum Beta-lactamase-producing bacterial pathogens (Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae) from the National Infectious Disease Register. The workflow included 24-h composite influent samples, with one fraction for culture-based analysis (bacteria and fungi) and the rest of the sample was reserved for molecular analysis (viruses, bacteria, antibiotic resistance genes, and parasites). The reproducibility of the monitoring workflow was assessed for SARS-CoV-2 through inter-laboratory comparisons using the N2 and N1 assays. Identical protocols were applied to same-day samples, yielding similar positivity trends in the two laboratories, but the N2 assay achieved a significantly higher detection rate (Laboratory 1: 91.5 %; Laboratory 2: 87.4 %) than the N1 assay (76.6 %) monitored only in Laboratory 2 (McNemar, p < 0.001 Lab 1, = 0.006 Lab 2). This result indicates that the selection of monitoring primers and assays may impact monitoring sensitivity in WBS. Overall, the current study recommends that the selection of sampling frequencies and population coverage of the monitoring should be based on pathogen-specific epidemiological characteristics. For example, pathogens that are stable over time may need less frequent annual sampling, while those that are occurring across regions may require reduced sample coverage. Here, WastPan successfully piloted WBS for monitoring multiple pathogens, highlighting the significance of one-litre community composite wastewater samples for assessing community health. The infrastructure established for COVID-19 WBS is valuable for monitoring various pathogens. The prioritization of the monitoring targets optimizes resource utilization. In the future legislative support in target selection, coverage determination, and sustained funding for WBS is recomended.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ananda Tiwari
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Health Security, Kuopio and Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Kirsi-Maarit Lehto
- Tampere University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere, Finland.
| | - Dafni K Paspaliari
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Health Security, Kuopio and Helsinki, Finland; ECDC Fellowship Programme, Public Health Microbiology path (EUPHEM), European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Solna, Sweden
| | - Ahmad I Al-Mustapha
- University of Helsinki, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
| | - Anniina Sarekoski
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Health Security, Kuopio and Helsinki, Finland; University of Helsinki, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Anna-Maria Hokajärvi
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Health Security, Kuopio and Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Annika Länsivaara
- Tampere University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere, Finland.
| | - Rafiqul Hyder
- Tampere University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere, Finland.
| | - Oskari Luomala
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Health Security, Kuopio and Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Anssi Lipponen
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Health Security, Kuopio and Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Sami Oikarinen
- Tampere University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere, Finland.
| | - Annamari Heikinheimo
- University of Helsinki, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Helsinki, Finland; Finnish Food Authority, Seinäjoki, Finland.
| | - Tarja Pitkänen
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Health Security, Kuopio and Helsinki, Finland; University of Helsinki, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Helsinki, Finland.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Franklin AM, Weller DL, Durso LM, Bagley M, Davis BC, Frye JG, Grim CJ, Ibekwe AM, Jahne MA, Keely SP, Kraft AL, McConn BR, Mitchell RM, Ottesen AR, Sharma M, Strain EA, Tadesse DA, Tate H, Wells JE, Williams CF, Cook KL, Kabera C, McDermott PF, Garland JL. A one health approach for monitoring antimicrobial resistance: developing a national freshwater pilot effort. FRONTIERS IN WATER 2024; 6:10.3389/frwa.2024.1359109. [PMID: 38855419 PMCID: PMC11157689 DOI: 10.3389/frwa.2024.1359109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a world-wide public health threat that is projected to lead to 10 million annual deaths globally by 2050. The AMR public health issue has led to the development of action plans to combat AMR, including improved antimicrobial stewardship, development of new antimicrobials, and advanced monitoring. The National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) led by the United States (U.S) Food and Drug Administration along with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and U.S. Department of Agriculture has monitored antimicrobial resistant bacteria in retail meats, humans, and food animals since the mid 1990's. NARMS is currently exploring an integrated One Health monitoring model recognizing that human, animal, plant, and environmental systems are linked to public health. Since 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has led an interagency NARMS environmental working group (EWG) to implement a surface water AMR monitoring program (SWAM) at watershed and national scales. The NARMS EWG divided the development of the environmental monitoring effort into five areas: (i) defining objectives and questions, (ii) designing study/sampling design, (iii) selecting AMR indicators, (iv) establishing analytical methods, and (v) developing data management/analytics/metadata plans. For each of these areas, the consensus among the scientific community and literature was reviewed and carefully considered prior to the development of this environmental monitoring program. The data produced from the SWAM effort will help develop robust surface water monitoring programs with the goal of assessing public health risks associated with AMR pathogens in surface water (e.g., recreational water exposures), provide a comprehensive picture of how resistant strains are related spatially and temporally within a watershed, and help assess how anthropogenic drivers and intervention strategies impact the transmission of AMR within human, animal, and environmental systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alison M. Franklin
- United States (U.S.) Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Daniel L. Weller
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Lisa M. Durso
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA, ARS), Agroecosystem Management Research, Lincoln, NE, United States
| | - Mark Bagley
- United States (U.S.) Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Benjamin C. Davis
- United States (U.S.) Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Jonathan G. Frye
- USDA ARS, U.S. National Poultry Research Center, Poultry Microbiological Safety and Processing Research Unit, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Christopher J. Grim
- Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Abasiofiok M. Ibekwe
- USDA, ARS, Agricultural Water Efficiency and Salinity Research Unit, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Michael A. Jahne
- United States (U.S.) Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Scott P. Keely
- United States (U.S.) Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Autumn L. Kraft
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, USDA, ARS, Beltsville, MD, United States
| | - Betty R. McConn
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, USDA, ARS, Beltsville, MD, United States
| | - Richard M. Mitchell
- Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Andrea R. Ottesen
- Center for Veterinary Medicine, National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS), U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Laurel, MD, United States
| | - Manan Sharma
- USDA, ARS Environmental Microbial and Food Safety Laboratory, Beltsville, MD, United States
| | - Errol A. Strain
- Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Daniel A. Tadesse
- Center for Veterinary Medicine, National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS), U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Laurel, MD, United States
| | - Heather Tate
- Center for Veterinary Medicine, National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS), U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Laurel, MD, United States
| | - Jim E. Wells
- USDA, ARS, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Meat Safety and Quality, Clay Center, NE, United States
| | - Clinton F. Williams
- USDA, ARS, US Arid-Land Agricultural Research Center, Maricopa, AZ, United States
| | - Kim L. Cook
- USDA, ARS Nutrition, Food Safety and Quality National Program Staff, Beltsville, MD, United States
| | - Claudine Kabera
- Center for Veterinary Medicine, National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS), U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Laurel, MD, United States
| | - Patrick F. McDermott
- Center for Veterinary Medicine, National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS), U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Laurel, MD, United States
| | - Jay L. Garland
- United States (U.S.) Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Shamsizadeh Z, Nikaeen M, Mohammadi F, Farhadkhani M, Mokhtari M, Ehrampoush MH. Wastewater surveillance of antibiotic resistance and class 1 integron-integrase genes: Potential impact of wastewater characteristics on genes profile. Heliyon 2024; 10:e29601. [PMID: 38765125 PMCID: PMC11098788 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance (AR) is a major global health concern, but current surveillance efforts primarily focus on healthcare settings, leaving a lack of understanding about AR across all sectors of the One Health approach. To bridge this gap, wastewater surveillance provides a cost-effective and efficient method for monitoring AR within a population. In this study, we implemented a surveillance program by monitoring the wastewater effluent from two large-scale municipal treatment plants situated in Isfahan, a central region of Iran. These treatment plants covered distinct catchment regions and served a combined population about two million of residents. Furthermore, the effect of physicochemical and microbial characteristics of wastewater effluent including biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), temperature, total coliforms and Escherichia coli concentration on the abundance of ARGs (blaCTX-M, tetW, sul1, cmlA, and ermB) and class 1 integron-integrase gene (intI1) were investigated. Sul1 and blaCTX-M were the most and least abundant ARGs in the two WWTPs, respectively. Principal Component Analysis showed that in both of the WWTPs all ARGs and intI1 gene abundance were positively correlated with effluent temperature, but all other effluent characteristics (BOD, COD, TSS, total coliforms and E. coli) showed no significant correlation with ARGs abundance. Temperature could affect the performance of conventional activated sludge process, which in turn could affect the abundance of ARGs. The results of this study suggest that other factors than BOD, COD and TSS may affect the ARGs abundance. The predicted AR could lead to development of effective interventions and policies to combat AR in the clinical settings. However, further research is needed to determine the relationship between the AR in wastewater and clinical settings as well as the effect of other influential factors on ARGs abundance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Shamsizadeh
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Larestan University of Medical Sciences, Larestan, Iran
- Environmental Science and Technology Research Center, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Mahnaz Nikaeen
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Farzaneh Mohammadi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Marzieh Farhadkhani
- Educational Development Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
| | - Mehdi Mokhtari
- Environmental Science and Technology Research Center, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hassan Ehrampoush
- Environmental Science and Technology Research Center, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Straub C, Weaver L, Cornelius AJ, McGill E, Dyet K, Pattis I. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase, AmpC, and carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative wastewater isolates from Aotearoa New Zealand. Microbiol Resour Announc 2024; 13:e0013124. [PMID: 38564672 PMCID: PMC11080521 DOI: 10.1128/mra.00131-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase, AmpC, and carbapenemase-producing bacteria were isolated from raw sewage, effluent, oxidation pond water, and sediment from a wastewater treatment plant in Aotearoa New Zealand. Here, we report the assemblies of 17 isolates belonging to the species Aeromonas veronii, Aeromonas hydrophila, Enterobacter cloacae, Enterobacter soli, Lelliottia amnigena, Aeromonas caviae, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas moraviensis, Pseudomonas putida, and Kluyvera ascorbata.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christina Straub
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd., Health & Environment, Auckland, New Zealand
- University of Vienna, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Vienna, Austria
- Genomics Aotearoa, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Louise Weaver
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd., Health & Environment, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Angela J. Cornelius
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd., Health & Environment, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Erin McGill
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd., Health & Environment, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Kristin Dyet
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd., Health & Environment, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Isabelle Pattis
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd., Health & Environment, Christchurch, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Tiwari A, Krolicka A, Tran TT, Räisänen K, Ásmundsdóttir ÁM, Wikmark OG, Lood R, Pitkänen T. Antibiotic resistance monitoring in wastewater in the Nordic countries: A systematic review. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 246:118052. [PMID: 38163547 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.118052] [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: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
The Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) have effectively kept lower antibiotic-resistant bacterial (ARB) pathogen rates than many other countries. However, in recent years, these five countries have encountered a rise in ARB cases and challenges in treating infections due to the growing prevalence of ARB pathogens. Wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) is a valuable supplement to clinical methods for ARB surveillance, but there is a lack of comprehensive understanding of WBS application for ARB in the Nordic countries. This review aims to compile the latest state-of-the-art developments in WBS for ARB monitoring in the Nordic countries and compare them with clinical surveillance practices. After reviewing 1480 papers from the primary search, 54 were found relevant, and 15 additional WBS-related papers were included. Among 69 studies analyzed, 42 dedicated clinical epidemiology, while 27 focused on wastewater monitoring. The PRISMA review of the literature revealed that Nordic countries focus on four major WBS objectives of ARB: assessing ARB in the human population, identifying ARB evading wastewater treatment, quantifying removal rates, and evaluating potential ARB evolution during the treatment process. In both clinical and wastewater contexts, the most studied targets were pathogens producing carbapenemase and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL), primarily Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. However, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have received more attention in clinical epidemiology than in wastewater studies, probably due to their lower detection rates in wastewater. Clinical surveillance has mostly used culturing, antibiotic susceptibility testing, and genotyping, but WBS employed PCR-based and metagenomics alongside culture-based techniques. Imported cases resulting from international travel and hospitalization abroad appear to have frequently contributed to the rise in ARB pathogen cases in these countries. The many similarities between the Nordic countries (e.g., knowledge exchange practices, antibiotic usage patterns, and the current ARB landscape) could facilitate collaborative efforts in developing and implementing WBS for ARB in population-level screening.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ananda Tiwari
- Expert Microbiology Unit, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, 70701, Kuopio, Finland.
| | - Adriana Krolicka
- Norwegian Research Centre AS (NORCE), Nygårdstangen, 5838, Bergen, Norway
| | - Tam T Tran
- Norwegian Research Centre AS (NORCE), Nygårdstangen, 5838, Bergen, Norway
| | - Kati Räisänen
- Expert Microbiology Unit, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Odd-Gunnar Wikmark
- Norwegian Research Centre AS (NORCE), Nygårdstangen, 5838, Bergen, Norway; Unit for Environmental Science and Management, North West University, Potchefstroom Campus, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
| | - Rolf Lood
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Division of Infection Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Tarja Pitkänen
- Expert Microbiology Unit, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, 70701, Kuopio, Finland; Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Arnal C, Belhadj-Kaabi F, Ingrand V. [Which contribution of wastewater treatment plants in the fight against antimicrobial resistance?]. C R Biol 2024; 346:23-33. [PMID: 37655905 DOI: 10.5802/crbiol.113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Due to the massive use of antibiotics, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) continues to spread, endangering global disease control and environmental quality. The sources of bacteria or antimicrobial resistance genes are linked to human activities: urban, hospital and industrial discharges, livestock farms). The role of sanitation systems-sewerage, wastewater treatment and sludge treatment (WWTP)-in the problem of AMR has not yet been clearly established by the scientific community. The data available to date show that they eliminate part of the bacteria, genes and antibiotics, although this is not their primary vocation. WWTPs thus play an important filtering role to limit dissemination in the environment. On the other hand, some authors warn against their potential involvement in the selection of new resistant germs, given the conditions conducive to the exchange of genetic material between microbial strains of various types and exposed to selective agents. Today, knowledge of the mechanisms involved in the selection of antibiotic resistance and the fate of bacteria and resistance genes within sanitation systems remains limited. Research is needed to better characterize the contribution of wastewater systems and the performance of wastewater, recycled water, stormwater and sludge treatment processes.
Collapse
|
19
|
Capone D, Cumming O, Flemister A, Ilevbare V, Irish SR, Keenum I, Knee J, Nala R, Brown J. Sanitation in urban areas may limit the spread of antimicrobial resistance via flies. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0298578. [PMID: 38507457 PMCID: PMC10954131 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Synanthropic filth flies are common where sanitation is poor and fecal wastes are accessible to them. These flies have been proposed as mechanical vectors for the localized transport of fecal microbes including antimicrobial resistant (AMR) organisms and associated antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), increasing exposure risks. We evaluated whether an onsite sanitation intervention in Maputo, Mozambique reduced the concentration of enteric bacteria and the frequency of detection of ARGs carried by flies collected in household compounds of low-income neighborhoods. Additionally, we assessed the phenotypic resistance profile of Enterobacteriaceae isolates recovered from flies during the pre-intervention phase. After fly enumeration at study compounds, quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to quantify an enteric 16S rRNA gene (i.e., specific to a cluster of phylotypes corresponding to 5% of the human fecal microflora), 28 ARGs, and Kirby Bauer Disk Diffusion of Enterobacteriaceae isolates was utilized to assess resistance to eleven clinically relevant antibiotics. The intervention was associated with a 1.5 log10 reduction (95% confidence interval: -0.73, -2.3) in the concentration of the enteric 16S gene and a 31% reduction (adjusted prevalence ratio = 0.69, [0.52, 0.92]) in the mean number of ARGs per fly compared to a control group with poor sanitation. This protective effect was consistent across the six ARG classes that we detected. Enterobacteriaceae isolates-only from the pre-intervention phase-were resistant to a mean of 3.4 antibiotics out of the eleven assessed. Improving onsite sanitation infrastructure in low-income informal settlements may help reduce fly-mediated transmission of enteric bacteria and the ARGs carried by them.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Drew Capone
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Oliver Cumming
- Department of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Abeoseh Flemister
- Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
- Department of Radiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States of America
| | - Victor Ilevbare
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Seth R. Irish
- Epidemiology and Public Health Department, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Ishi Keenum
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Geospatial Engineering, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Jackie Knee
- Department of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Rassul Nala
- Ministério da Saúde de Moçambique, Instituto Nacional de Saúde, Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Joe Brown
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Corrales-Martínez J, Jaramillo K, Tadesse DA, Satán C, Villavicencio FX, Sánchez-Gavilanes L, Rivadeneira-Cueva B, Balcázar JL, Calero-Cáceres W. Genomic characterization of a WHO critical priority isolate Enterobacter kobei ST2070 harboring OXA-10, KPC-2, and CTX-M-12 recovered from a water irrigation channel in Ecuador. Heliyon 2024; 10:e26379. [PMID: 38449644 PMCID: PMC10915343 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
The discharge of untreated or partially treated wastewater can have detrimental impacts on the quality of water bodies, posing a significant threat to public health and the environment. In Ecuador, previous research indicates a high prevalence of antimicrobial resistant (AMR) bacteria in surface waters affected by human activities, including irrigation channels. In this study, we analyzed sediment samples collected from an irrigation channel utilized for agricultural purposes in northern Ecuador, using microbiological techniques and whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Our investigation revealed the first documented occurrence of E. kobei in Ecuador and the initial report of environmental E. kobei ST2070. Furthermore, we identified the coexistence of OXA-10-type class D β-lactamase and KPC-2-type class A β-lactamase in the E. kobei isolate (UTA41), representing the first report of such a phenomenon in this species. Additionally, we detected various antibiotic resistance genes in the E. kobei UTA41 isolate, including blaCTX-M-12, fosA, aac(6')-lb, sul2, msr(E), and mph(A), as well as virulence genes such as bacterial efflux pump and siderophore biosynthesis genes. We also identified two intact prophage regions (Entero_186 and Klebsi_phiKO2) in the isolate. Our study presents the first evidence of E. kobei isolate containing two carbapenemase-encoding genes in environmental samples from Latin America. This finding indicates the potential spread of critical-priority bacteria in water samples originating from anthropogenic sources, such as urban wastewater discharges and livestock facilities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joselyn Corrales-Martínez
- UTA-RAM-One Health, Department of Food and Biotechnology Science and Engineering, Universidad Técnica de Ambato, Ambato, Ecuador
| | - Katherine Jaramillo
- Centro de Referencia Nacional de Resistencia a los Antimicrobianos RAM, Instituto Nacional de Investigación en Salud Pública “Dr. Leopoldo Izquieta Pérez” INSPI, Quito, Ecuador
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Técnica de Ambato, Ambato, Ecuador
| | - Daniel A. Tadesse
- U.S. Food &Drug Administration, Center for Veterinary Medicine, Office of Applied Science Laurel, MD 20708, USA
| | - Carolina Satán
- Centro de Referencia Nacional de Resistencia a los Antimicrobianos RAM, Instituto Nacional de Investigación en Salud Pública “Dr. Leopoldo Izquieta Pérez” INSPI, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Fernando X. Villavicencio
- Centro de Referencia Nacional de Resistencia a los Antimicrobianos RAM, Instituto Nacional de Investigación en Salud Pública “Dr. Leopoldo Izquieta Pérez” INSPI, Quito, Ecuador
- Veterinary Medicine, Eugenio Espejo Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad UTE, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Lissette Sánchez-Gavilanes
- UTA-RAM-One Health, Department of Food and Biotechnology Science and Engineering, Universidad Técnica de Ambato, Ambato, Ecuador
| | - Brenda Rivadeneira-Cueva
- UTA-RAM-One Health, Department of Food and Biotechnology Science and Engineering, Universidad Técnica de Ambato, Ambato, Ecuador
| | - José Luis Balcázar
- Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), 17003 Girona, Spain
- University of Girona, 17004 Girona, Spain
| | - William Calero-Cáceres
- UTA-RAM-One Health, Department of Food and Biotechnology Science and Engineering, Universidad Técnica de Ambato, Ambato, Ecuador
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Arnold KE, Laing G, McMahon BJ, Fanning S, Stekel DJ, Pahl O, Coyne L, Latham SM, McIntyre KM. The need for One Health systems-thinking approaches to understand multiscale dissemination of antimicrobial resistance. Lancet Planet Health 2024; 8:e124-e133. [PMID: 38331529 DOI: 10.1016/s2542-5196(23)00278-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Although the effects of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are most obvious at clinical treatment failure, AMR evolution, transmission, and dispersal happen largely in environmental settings, for example within farms, waterways, livestock, and wildlife. We argue that systems-thinking, One Health approaches are crucial for tackling AMR, by understanding and predicting how anthropogenic activities interact within environmental subsystems, to drive AMR emergence and transmission. Innovative computational methods integrating big data streams (eg, from clinical, agricultural, and environmental monitoring) will accelerate our understanding of AMR, supporting decision making. There are challenges to accessing, integrating, synthesising, and interpreting such complex, multidimensional, heterogeneous datasets, including the lack of specific metrics to quantify anthropogenic AMR. Moreover, data confidentiality, geopolitical and cultural variation, surveillance gaps, and science funding cause biases, uncertainty, and gaps in AMR data and metadata. Combining systems-thinking with modelling will allow exploration, scaling-up, and extrapolation of existing data. This combination will provide vital understanding of the dynamic movement and transmission of AMR within and among environmental subsystems, and its effects across the greater system. Consequently, strategies for slowing down AMR dissemination can be modelled and compared for efficacy and cost-effectiveness.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn E Arnold
- Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, York, UK.
| | | | - Barry J McMahon
- UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Séamus Fanning
- UCD-Centre for Food Safety, School of Public Health, Physiotherapy & Sports Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Dov J Stekel
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, UK; Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Ole Pahl
- Department of Civil Engineering and Environmental Management, School of Computing, Engineering and Built Environment, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK
| | - Lucy Coyne
- Department of Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK; National Office of Animal Health, Stevenage, UK
| | - Sophia M Latham
- Department of Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - K Marie McIntyre
- Department of Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK; Modelling, Evidence and Policy group, School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Perez-Bou L, Gonzalez-Martinez A, Gonzalez-Lopez J, Correa-Galeote D. Promising bioprocesses for the efficient removal of antibiotics and antibiotic-resistance genes from urban and hospital wastewaters: Potentialities of aerobic granular systems. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 342:123115. [PMID: 38086508 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.123115] [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: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
The use, overuse, and improper use of antibiotics have resulted in higher levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs), which have profoundly disturbed the equilibrium of the environment. Furthermore, once antibiotic agents are excreted in urine and feces, these substances often can reach wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), in which improper treatments have been highlighted as the main reason for stronger dissemination of antibiotics, ARB, and ARGs to the receiving bodies. Hence, achieving better antibiotic removal capacities in WWTPs is proposed as an adequate approach to limit the spread of antibiotics, ARB, and ARGs into the environment. In this review, we highlight hospital wastewater (WW) as a critical hotspot for the dissemination of antibiotic resistance due to its high level of antibiotics and pathogens. Hence, monitoring the composition and structure of the bacterial communities related to hospital WW is a key factor in controlling the spread of ARGs. In addition, we discuss the advantages and drawbacks of the current biological WW treatments regarding the antibiotic-resistance phenomenon. Widely used conventional activated sludge technology has proved to be ineffective in mitigating the dissemination of ARB and ARGs to the environment. However, aerobic granular sludge (AGS) technology is a promising technology-with broad adaptability and excellent performance-that could successfully reduce antibiotics, ARB, and ARGs in the generated effluents. We also outline the main operational parameters involved in mitigating antibiotics, ARB, and ARGs in WWTPs. In this regard, WW operation under long hydraulic and solid retention times allows better removal of antibiotics, ARB, and ARGs independently of the WW technology employed. Finally, we address the current knowledge of the adsorption and degradation of antibiotics and their importance in removing ARB and ARGs. Notably, AGS can enhance the removal of antibiotics, ARB, and ARGs due to the complex microbial metabolism within the granular biomass.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lizandra Perez-Bou
- Microbiology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, Granada, Andalucía, Spain; Microbiology and Environmental Technology Section, Institute of Water Research, University of Granada, Granada, Andalucía, Spain; Microbial Biotechnology Group, Microbiology and Virology Department, Faculty of Biology, University of Havana, Cuba
| | - Alejandro Gonzalez-Martinez
- Microbiology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, Granada, Andalucía, Spain; Microbiology and Environmental Technology Section, Institute of Water Research, University of Granada, Granada, Andalucía, Spain
| | - Jesus Gonzalez-Lopez
- Microbiology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, Granada, Andalucía, Spain; Microbiology and Environmental Technology Section, Institute of Water Research, University of Granada, Granada, Andalucía, Spain
| | - David Correa-Galeote
- Microbiology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, Granada, Andalucía, Spain; Microbiology and Environmental Technology Section, Institute of Water Research, University of Granada, Granada, Andalucía, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Corrin T, Rabeenthira P, Young KM, Mathiyalagan G, Baumeister A, Pussegoda K, Waddell LA. A scoping review of human pathogens detected in untreated human wastewater and sludge. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2024; 22:436-449. [PMID: 38421635 PMCID: wh_2024_326 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2024.326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Wastewater monitoring is an approach to identify the presence or abundance of pathogens within a population. The objective of this scoping review (ScR) was to identify and characterize research on human pathogens and antimicrobial resistance detected in untreated human wastewater and sludge. A search was conducted up to March 2023 and standard ScR methodology was followed. This ScR included 1,722 articles, of which 56.5% were published after the emergence of COVID-19. Viruses and bacteria were commonly investigated, while research on protozoa, helminths, and fungi was infrequent. Articles prior to 2019 were dominated by research on pathogens transmitted through fecal-oral or waterborne pathways, whereas more recent articles have explored the detection of pathogens transmitted through other pathways such as respiratory and vector-borne. There was variation in sampling, samples, and sample processing across studies. The current evidence suggests that wastewater monitoring could be applied to a range of pathogens as a public health tool to detect an emerging pathogen and understand the burden and spread of disease to inform decision-making. Further development and refinement of the methods to identify and interpret wastewater signals for different prioritized pathogens are needed to develop standards on when, why, and how to monitor effectively.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tricia Corrin
- Public Health Risk Sciences Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 370 Speedvale Avenue West, Guelph, Ontario N1H 7M7, Canada E-mail:
| | - Prakathesh Rabeenthira
- One Health Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 110 Stone Road, Guelph, Ontario N1G 3W4, Canada
| | - Kaitlin M Young
- Public Health Risk Sciences Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 370 Speedvale Avenue West, Guelph, Ontario N1H 7M7, Canada
| | - Gajuna Mathiyalagan
- One Health Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 110 Stone Road, Guelph, Ontario N1G 3W4, Canada
| | - Austyn Baumeister
- Public Health Risk Sciences Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 370 Speedvale Avenue West, Guelph, Ontario N1H 7M7, Canada
| | - Kusala Pussegoda
- Public Health Risk Sciences Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 370 Speedvale Avenue West, Guelph, Ontario N1H 7M7, Canada
| | - Lisa A Waddell
- Public Health Risk Sciences Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 370 Speedvale Avenue West, Guelph, Ontario N1H 7M7, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Heljanko V, Tyni O, Johansson V, Virtanen JP, Räisänen K, Lehto KM, Lipponen A, Oikarinen S, Pitkänen T, Heikinheimo A. Clinically relevant sequence types of carbapenemase-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae detected in Finnish wastewater in 2021-2022. Antimicrob Resist Infect Control 2024; 13:14. [PMID: 38291521 PMCID: PMC10829384 DOI: 10.1186/s13756-024-01370-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a critical threat to human health. Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae are clinically the most important species associated with AMR and are the most common carbapenemase-producing (CP) Enterobacterales detected in human specimens in Finland. Wastewater surveillance has emerged as a potential approach for population-level surveillance of AMR, as wastewater could offer a reflection from a larger population with one sample and minimal recognized ethical issues. In this study, we investigated the potential of wastewater surveillance to detect CP E. coli and K. pneumoniae strains similar to those detected in human specimens. METHODS Altogether, 89 composite samples of untreated community wastewater were collected from 10 wastewater treatment plants across Finland in 2021-2022. CP E. coli and K. pneumoniae were isolated using selective culture media and identified using MALDI-TOF MS. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using disk diffusion test and broth microdilution method, and a subset of isolates was characterized using whole-genome sequencing. RESULTS CP E. coli was detected in 26 (29.2%) and K. pneumoniae in 25 (28.1%) samples. Among E. coli, the most common sequence type (ST) was ST410 (n = 7/26, 26.9%), while ST359 (n = 4/25, 16.0%) predominated among K. pneumoniae. Globally successful STs were detected in both E. coli (ST410, ST1284, ST167, and ST405) and K. pneumoniae (ST512, ST101, and ST307). K. pneumoniae carbapenemases (KPC) were the most common carbapenemases in both E. coli (n = 11/26, 42.3%) and K. pneumoniae (n = 13/25, 52.0%), yet also other carbapenemases, such as blaNDM-5, blaOXA-48, and blaOXA-181, were detected. We detected isolates harboring similar ST and enzyme type combinations previously linked to clusters in Finland, such as E. coli ST410 with blaKPC-2 and K. pneumoniae ST512 with blaKPC-3. CONCLUSIONS Our study highlights the presence of clinically relevant strains of CP E. coli and K. pneumoniae in community wastewater. The results indicate that wastewater surveillance could serve as a monitoring tool for CP Enterobacterales. However, the specificity and sensitivity of the methods should be improved, and technologies, like advanced sequencing methods, should be utilized to distinguish data with public health relevance, harness the full potential of wastewater surveillance, and implement the data in public health surveillance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Viivi Heljanko
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Olga Tyni
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Venla Johansson
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Kati Räisänen
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kirsi-Maarit Lehto
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Anssi Lipponen
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Sami Oikarinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Tarja Pitkänen
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Annamari Heikinheimo
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Finnish Food Authority, Seinäjoki, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Philo SE, De León KB, Noble RT, Zhou NA, Alghafri R, Bar-Or I, Darling A, D'Souza N, Hachimi O, Kaya D, Kim S, Gaardbo Kuhn K, Layton BA, Mansfeldt C, Oceguera B, Radniecki TS, Ram JL, Saunders LP, Shrestha A, Stadler LB, Steele JA, Stevenson BS, Vogel JR, Bibby K, Boehm AB, Halden RU, Delgado Vela J. Wastewater surveillance for bacterial targets: current challenges and future goals. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024; 90:e0142823. [PMID: 38099657 PMCID: PMC10807411 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01428-23] [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] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) expanded rapidly in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the public health emergency has ended, researchers and practitioners are looking to shift the focus of existing wastewater surveillance programs to other targets, including bacteria. Bacterial targets may pose some unique challenges for WBE applications. To explore the current state of the field, the National Science Foundation-funded Research Coordination Network (RCN) on Wastewater Based Epidemiology for SARS-CoV-2 and Emerging Public Health Threats held a workshop in April 2023 to discuss the challenges and needs for wastewater bacterial surveillance. The targets and methods used in existing programs were diverse, with twelve different targets and nine different methods listed. Discussions during the workshop highlighted the challenges in adapting existing programs and identified research gaps in four key areas: choosing new targets, relating bacterial wastewater data to human disease incidence and prevalence, developing methods, and normalizing results. To help with these challenges and research gaps, the authors identified steps the larger community can take to improve bacteria wastewater surveillance. This includes developing data reporting standards and method optimization and validation for bacterial programs. Additionally, more work is needed to understand shedding patterns for potential bacterial targets to better relate wastewater data to human infections. Wastewater surveillance for bacteria can help provide insight into the underlying prevalence in communities, but much work is needed to establish these methods.IMPORTANCEWastewater surveillance was a useful tool to elucidate the burden and spread of SARS-CoV-2 during the pandemic. Public health officials and researchers are interested in expanding these surveillance programs to include bacterial targets, but many questions remain. The NSF-funded Research Coordination Network for Wastewater Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 and Emerging Public Health Threats held a workshop to identify barriers and research gaps to implementing bacterial wastewater surveillance programs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E. Philo
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Kara B. De León
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Rachel T. Noble
- Department of Earth, Marine, and Environmental Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Institute of Marine Sciences, Morehead City, North Carolina, USA
| | - Nicolette A. Zhou
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Rashed Alghafri
- International Center for Forensic Sciences, Dubai Police, Dubai, UAE
| | - Itay Bar-Or
- Israel Ministry of Health, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Amanda Darling
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Nishita D'Souza
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Oumaima Hachimi
- School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Devrim Kaya
- School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Sooyeol Kim
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Katrin Gaardbo Kuhn
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | | | - Cresten Mansfeldt
- Environmental Engineering Program, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Bethany Oceguera
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Tyler S. Radniecki
- School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Jeffrey L. Ram
- Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | | | - Abhilasha Shrestha
- Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Division, University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Lauren B. Stadler
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Joshua A. Steele
- Department of Microbiology, Southern California Coastal Research Project, Costa Mesa, California, USA
| | | | - Jason R. Vogel
- School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Alexandria B. Boehm
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Rolf U. Halden
- School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Jeseth Delgado Vela
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Howard University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Clark EC, Neumann S, Hopkins S, Kostopoulos A, Hagerman L, Dobbins M. Changes to Public Health Surveillance Methods Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Scoping Review. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2024; 10:e49185. [PMID: 38241067 PMCID: PMC10837764 DOI: 10.2196/49185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Public health surveillance plays a vital role in informing public health decision-making. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 caused a widespread shift in public health priorities. Global efforts focused on COVID-19 monitoring and contact tracing. Existing public health programs were interrupted due to physical distancing measures and reallocation of resources. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic intersected with advancements in technologies that have the potential to support public health surveillance efforts. OBJECTIVE This scoping review aims to explore emergent public health surveillance methods during the early COVID-19 pandemic to characterize the impact of the pandemic on surveillance methods. METHODS A scoping search was conducted in multiple databases and by scanning key government and public health organization websites from March 2020 to January 2022. Published papers and gray literature that described the application of new or revised approaches to public health surveillance were included. Papers that discussed the implications of novel public health surveillance approaches from ethical, legal, security, and equity perspectives were also included. The surveillance subject, method, location, and setting were extracted from each paper to identify trends in surveillance practices. Two public health epidemiologists were invited to provide their perspectives as peer reviewers. RESULTS Of the 14,238 unique papers, a total of 241 papers describing novel surveillance methods and changes to surveillance methods are included. Eighty papers were review papers and 161 were single studies. Overall, the literature heavily featured papers detailing surveillance of COVID-19 transmission (n=187). Surveillance of other infectious diseases was also described, including other pathogens (n=12). Other public health topics included vaccines (n=9), mental health (n=11), substance use (n=4), healthy nutrition (n=1), maternal and child health (n=3), antimicrobial resistance (n=2), and misinformation (n=6). The literature was dominated by applications of digital surveillance, for example, by using big data through mobility tracking and infodemiology (n=163). Wastewater surveillance was also heavily represented (n=48). Other papers described adaptations to programs or methods that existed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic (n=9). The scoping search also found 109 papers that discuss the ethical, legal, security, and equity implications of emerging surveillance methods. The peer reviewer public health epidemiologists noted that additional changes likely exist, beyond what has been reported and available for evidence syntheses. CONCLUSIONS The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated advancements in surveillance and the adoption of new technologies, especially for digital and wastewater surveillance methods. Given the investments in these systems, further applications for public health surveillance are likely. The literature for surveillance methods was dominated by surveillance of infectious diseases, particularly COVID-19. A substantial amount of literature on the ethical, legal, security, and equity implications of these emerging surveillance methods also points to a need for cautious consideration of potential harm.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily C Clark
- National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Sophie Neumann
- National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Stephanie Hopkins
- National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Alyssa Kostopoulos
- National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Leah Hagerman
- National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Maureen Dobbins
- National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- School of Nursing, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Gholipour S, Shamsizadeh Z, Halabowski D, Gwenzi W, Nikaeen M. Combating antibiotic resistance using wastewater surveillance: Significance, applications, challenges, and future directions. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 908:168056. [PMID: 37914125 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
The global increase of antibiotic resistance (AR) and resistant infections call for effective surveillance methods for understanding and mitigating (re)-emerging public health risks. Wastewater surveillance (WS) of antibiotic resistance is an emerging, but currently under-utilized decision-support tool in public health systems. Recent years have witnessed an increase in evidence linking antibiotic resistance in wastewaters to that of the community. To date, very few comprehensive reviews exist on the application of WS to understand AR and resistant infections in population. Current and emerging AR detection methods, and their merits and limitations are discussed. Wastewater surveillance has several merits relative to individual testing, including; (1) low per capita testing cost, (2) high spatial coverage, (3) low requirement for diagnostic equipment, and (4) detection of health threats ahead of real outbreaks. The applications of WS as an early warning system and decision support tool to understand and mitigate AR are discussed. Wastewater surveillance could be a tool of choice in low-income settings lacking resources and diagnostic facilities for individual testing. To demonstrate the utility of WS, empirical evidence from field case studies is presented. However, constraints still exist, including; (1) lack of standardized protocols, (2) the clinical utility and sensitivity of WS-based data, (3) uncertainties in relating WS data to pathogenic and virulent bacteria, and (4) whether or not AR in stools and ultimately wastewater represent the complete human resistome. Finally, further prospects are presented, include knowledge gaps on; (1) development of low-cost biosensors for AR, (2) development of WS protocols (sampling, processing, interpretation), (3) further pilot scale studies to understand the opportunities and limits of WS, and (4) development of computer-based analytical tools to facilitate rapid data collection, visualization and interpretation. Therefore, the present paper discusses the principles, opportunities, and constraints of wastewater surveillance applications to understand AR and safeguard public health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sahar Gholipour
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Zahra Shamsizadeh
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Larestan University of Medical Sciences, Larestan, Iran
| | - Dariusz Halabowski
- University of Lodz, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Department of Ecology and Vertebrate Zoology, Lodz, Poland
| | - Willis Gwenzi
- Universität Kassel, Fachbereich Ökologische Agrarwissenschaften Fachgebiet Grünlandwissenschaft und Nachwachsende Rohstoffe, Steinstr. 19, 37249 Witzenhausen, Germany; Leibniz-Institut für Agrartechnik und Bioökonomie e.V. Max-Eyth-Allee 100, D-14469 Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Mahnaz Nikaeen
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran; Environment Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Azuma T, Usui M, Hayashi T. Inactivation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in hospital wastewater by ozone-based advanced water treatment processes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 906:167432. [PMID: 37777130 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Abstract
The emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) continue on a global scale. The impacts of wastewater on the environment and human health have been identified, and understanding the environmental impacts of hospital wastewater and exploring appropriate forms of treatment are major societal challenges. In the present research, we evaluated the efficacy of ozone (O3)-based advanced wastewater treatment systems (O3, O3/H2O2, O3/UV, and O3/UV/H2O2) for the treatment of antimicrobials, antimicrobial-resistant bacteria (AMRB), and antimicrobial resistance genes (AMRGs) in wastewater from medical facilities. Our results indicated that the O3-based advanced wastewater treatment inactivated multiple antimicrobials (>99.9%) and AMRB after 10-30 min of treatment. Additionally, AMRGs were effectively removed (1.4-6.6 log10) during hospital wastewater treatment. The inactivation and/or removal performances of these pollutants through the O3/UV and O3/UV/H2O2 treatments were significantly (P < 0.05) better than those in the O3 and O3/H2O2 treatments. Altered taxonomic diversity of microorganisms based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing following the O3-based treatment showed that advanced wastewater treatments not only removed viable bacteria but also removed genes constituting microorganisms in the wastewater. Consequently, the objective of this study was to apply advanced wastewater treatments to treat wastewater, mitigate environmental pollution, and alleviate potential threats to environmental and human health associated with AMR. Our findings will contribute to enhancing the effectiveness of advanced wastewater treatment systems through on-site application, not only in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) but also in medical facilities. Moreover, our results will help reduce the discharge of AMRB and AMRGs into rivers and maintain the safety of aquatic environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Azuma
- Department of Pharmacy, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University, 4-20-1 Nasahara, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-1094, Japan.
| | - Masaru Usui
- Food Microbiology and Food Safety, Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, 582 Midorimachi, Bunkyodai, Ebetsu, Hokkaido 069-8501, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Hayashi
- Department of Pharmacy, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University, 4-20-1 Nasahara, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-1094, Japan; Faculty of Human Development, Department of Food and Nutrition Management Studies, Soai University, 4-4-1 Nankonaka, Osaka Suminoeku, Osaka 559-0033, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Williams AD, Rousham E, Neal AL, Amin MB, Hobman JL, Stekel D, Islam MA. Impact of contrasting poultry exposures on human, poultry, and wastewater antibiotic resistomes in Bangladesh. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0176323. [PMID: 37971224 PMCID: PMC10714819 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01763-23] [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: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Through the use of DNA sequencing, our study shows that there is no significant difference in the antibiotic resistance genes found in stool samples taken from individuals with high exposure to poultry routinely fed antibiotics and those without such exposure. This finding is significant as it suggests limited transmission of antibiotic resistance genes between poultry and humans in these circumstances. However, our research also demonstrates that commercially reared poultry are more likely to possess resistance genes to antibiotics commonly administered on medium-sized farms. Additionally, our study highlights the under-explored potential of wastewater as a source of various antibiotic resistance genes, some of which are clinically relevant.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander D. Williams
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health Ltd, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Tai Po, Hong Kong
- School of Public Health, University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Emily Rousham
- Centre for Global Health and Human Development, School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew L. Neal
- Net-Zero and Resilient Farming, Rothamsted Research, North Wyke, United Kingdom
| | - Mohammed Badrul Amin
- Laboratory of Food Safety and One Health, Laboratory Sciences and Services Division, icddr,b, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Jon L. Hobman
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Sutton Bonington, Leicestershire, United Kingdom
| | - Dov Stekel
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Sutton Bonington, Leicestershire, United Kingdom
- Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, South Africa
| | - Mohammad Aminul Islam
- Paul G. Allen School for Global Health, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Lepper HC, Perry MR, Wee BA, Wills D, Nielsen H, Otani S, Simon M, Aarestrup FM, Woolhouse MEJ, van Bunnik BAD. Distinctive hospital and community resistomes in Scottish urban wastewater: Metagenomics of a paired wastewater sampling design. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 902:165978. [PMID: 37544442 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165978] [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: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
The wastewater microbiome contains a multitude of resistant bacteria of human origin, presenting an opportunity for surveillance of resistance in the general population. However, wastewater microbial communities are also influenced by clinical sources, such as hospitals. Identifying signatures of the community and hospital resistome in wastewater is needed for interpretation and risk analysis. In this study, we compare the resistome and microbiome of hospital, community, and mixed municipal wastewater to investigate how and why the composition of these different sites differ. We conducted shotgun metagenomic analysis on wastewater samples from eight wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), four hospitals, and four community sites in Scotland, using a paired sampling design. Cluster analysis and source attribution random forest models demonstrated that the hospital resistome was distinct from community and WWTP resistomes. Hospital wastewater had a higher abundance and diversity of resistance genes, in keeping with evidence that hospitals act as a reservoir and enricher of resistance. However, this distinctive 'hospital' signature appeared to be weak in the resistome of downstream WWTPs, likely due to dilution. We conclude that hospital and community wastewater resistomes differ, with the hospital wastewater representing a reservoir of patient- and hospital environment-associated bacteria. However, this 'hospital' signature is transient and does not overwhelm the community signature in the resistome of the downstream WWTP influent.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hannah C Lepper
- Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, Ashworth Laboratories, Charlotte Auerbach Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, United Kingdom.
| | - Meghan R Perry
- Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, Ashworth Laboratories, Charlotte Auerbach Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, United Kingdom; Clinical Infection Research Group, NHS Lothian Infection Service, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
| | - Bryan A Wee
- Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian EH25 9RG, United Kingdom.
| | - David Wills
- Scottish Water, Currie, Edinburgh EH14 4AP, United Kingdom.
| | - Hanne Nielsen
- National Food Institute, The Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet Bygning 202, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.
| | - Saria Otani
- National Food Institute, The Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet Bygning 202, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.
| | - Moray Simon
- Scottish Water, Currie, Edinburgh EH14 4AP, United Kingdom.
| | - Frank M Aarestrup
- National Food Institute, The Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet Bygning 202, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.
| | - Mark E J Woolhouse
- Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, Ashworth Laboratories, Charlotte Auerbach Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, United Kingdom.
| | - Bram A D van Bunnik
- Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian EH25 9RG, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Okonkwo V, Cholet F, Ijaz UZ, Koottatep T, Pussayanavin T, Polpraset C, Sloan WT, Connelly S, Smith CJ. intI1 gene abundance from septic tanks in Thailand using validated intI1 primers. Appl Environ Microbiol 2023; 89:e0107123. [PMID: 37874304 PMCID: PMC10686061 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01071-23] [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: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Antimicrobial resistance is a global crisis, and wastewater treatment, including septic tanks, remains an important source of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes. The role of septic tanks in disseminating class 1 integron, and by extension AMR genes, in Thailand, where antibiotic use is unregulated remains understudied. We aimed to monitor gene abundance as a proxy to infer potential AMR from septic tanks in Thailand. We evaluated published intI1 primers due to the lack of consensus on optimal Q-PCR primers and the absence of standardization. Our findings confirmed septic tanks are a source of class 1 integron to the environment. We highlighted the significance of intI1 primer choice, in the context of interpretation of risk associated with AMR spread from septic tanks. We recommend the validated set (F3-R3) for optimal intI1 quantification toward the goal of achieving standardization across studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Valentine Okonkwo
- Department of Infrastructure and Environment, James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Fabien Cholet
- Department of Infrastructure and Environment, James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Umer Z. Ijaz
- Department of Infrastructure and Environment, James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Thammarat Koottatep
- School of Environment, Resources and Development, Asian Institute of Technology, Khlong Nueng, Thailand
| | | | - Chongrak Polpraset
- Thammasat School of Engineering, Thammasat University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - William T. Sloan
- Department of Infrastructure and Environment, James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Stephanie Connelly
- Department of Infrastructure and Environment, James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Cindy J. Smith
- Department of Infrastructure and Environment, James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Chettri P, Ganesh KM, Mahapatra SS, Vishwanathan AS, Srivastava S. A low-cost optofluidic platform for the colorimetric assessment of bacterial activity in domestic wastewater. ANALYTICAL METHODS : ADVANCING METHODS AND APPLICATIONS 2023; 15:6031-6039. [PMID: 37916527 DOI: 10.1039/d3ay01612a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Optofluidic chips represent a cost-effective platform for the development of miniaturized devices to perform biochemical reactions at a microscale. The dye reduction-based electron-transfer activity monitoring (DREAM) assay is a colorimetric approach that has been adopted for the rapid assessment of bacterial activity in bioreactors used in bioremediation and industrial biotechnology. A three-layered PMMA-based optofluidic chip having laser-machined microchannels coupled with a detection system comprising an LED source and a photodiode interfaced with a microcontroller for automation constituted the experimental setup. Data acquisition was executed using a user-friendly graphical user interface (GUI) that enabled real-time monitoring of bacterial activity. A performance comparison study was performed to assess the viability of replacing expensive spectrophotometers with an inexpensive photodiode for optoelectronic automation. Bacterial activity across different growth phases of a bacterial culture, initiated using untreated domestic wastewater, was assessed by the detector on the basis of voltage readings corresponding to the rate of decrease in the blue color intensity. The highest activity observed corresponded to the log phase of the growth curve. The optimal time for measurement of bacterial activity within the log phase of the growth curve was identified using different dilutions of untreated domestic wastewater. Furthermore, the device showed comparable sensitivities for samples from different time points in a bacterial growth curve and for different dilutions of untreated domestic wastewater samples. The device also demonstrated a linear response in the assessment of bacterial activity as a function of the change in strength of untreated domestic wastewater. This is the first report on colorimetric assessment of bacterial activity using a low-cost photodiode-based device at the microscale constructed using off-the-shelf components.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Prajal Chettri
- FEMTO FabULLAS, CRIF, Department of Physics, Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Prasanthi Nilayam, Andhra Pradesh 515134, India.
| | - Kalathur Mohan Ganesh
- STAR Laboratory, CRIF, Department of Chemistry, Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Prasanthi Nilayam, Andhra Pradesh 515134, India
| | - Sahashransu Satyajeet Mahapatra
- WATER Laboratory, Department of Biosciences, Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Prasanthi Nilayam, Andhra Pradesh 515134, India
| | - A S Vishwanathan
- WATER Laboratory, Department of Biosciences, Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Prasanthi Nilayam, Andhra Pradesh 515134, India
| | - Shailesh Srivastava
- FEMTO FabULLAS, CRIF, Department of Physics, Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Prasanthi Nilayam, Andhra Pradesh 515134, India.
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Sekizuka T, Yamaguchi N, Kanamori H, Kuroda M. Multiplex Hybrid Capture Improves the Deep Detection of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes from Wastewater Treatment Plant Effluents to Assess Environmental Issues. Microb Drug Resist 2023; 29:510-515. [PMID: 37433210 DOI: 10.1089/mdr.2023.0016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Metagenomic sequencing (mDNA-seq) is one of the best approaches to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR) issues and characterize AMR genes (ARGs) and their host bacteria (ARB); however, the sensitivity provided is insufficient for the overall detection in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents because the effluent is well treated. This study investigated the multiplex hybrid capture (xHYB) method (QIAseq × HYB AMR Panel) and its potential to increase AMR assessment sensitivity. The mDNA-Seq analysis suggested that the WWTP effluents had an average of 104 reads per kilobase of gene per million (RPKM) for the detection of all targeted ARGs, whereas xHYB significantly improved detection at 601,576 RPKM, indicating an average 5,805-fold increase in sensitivity. For instance, sul1 was detected at 15 and 114,229 RPKM using mDNA-seq and xHYB, respectively. The blaCTX-M, blaKPC, and mcr gene variants were not detected by mDNA-Seq but were detected by xHYB at 67, 20, and 1,010 RPKM, respectively. This study demonstrates that the multiplex xHYB method could be a suitable evaluation standard with high sensitivity and specificity for deep-dive detection, highlighting a broader illustration of ongoing dissemination in the entire community.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tsuyoshi Sekizuka
- Pathogen Genomics Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjyuku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nobuyasu Yamaguchi
- Department of Environmental Health, Osaka Institute of Public Health, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hajime Kanamori
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Internal Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Makoto Kuroda
- Pathogen Genomics Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjyuku, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Johar AA, Salih MA, Abdelrahman HA, Al Mana H, Hadi HA, Eltai NO. Wastewater-based epidemiology for tracking bacterial diversity and antibiotic resistance in COVID-19 isolation hospitals in Qatar. J Hosp Infect 2023; 141:209-220. [PMID: 37634602 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2023.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hospitals are hotspots for antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), and play a significant role in their emergence and spread. Large numbers of ARGs will be ejected from hospitals via wastewater systems. Wastewater-based epidemiology has been consolidated as a tool to provide real-time information, and represents a promising approach to understanding the prevalence of bacteria and ARGs at community level. AIMS To determine bacterial diversity and identify ARG profiles in hospital wastewater pathogens obtained from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) isolation hospitals compared with non-COVID-19 facilities during the pandemic. METHODS Wastewater samples were obtained from four hospitals: three assigned to patients with COVID-19 patients and one assigned to non-COVID-19 patients. A microbial DNA quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to determine bacterial diversity and ARGs. FINDINGS The assay recorded 27 different bacterial species in the samples, belonging to the following phyla: Firmicutes (44.4%), Proteobacteria (33.3%), Actinobacteria (11%), Bacteroidetes (7.4%) and Verrucomicrobiota (3.7%). In addition, 61 ARGs were detected in total. The highest number of ARGs was observed for the Hazem Mebaireek General Hospital (HMGH) COVID-19 patient site (88.5%), and the lowest number of ARGs was found for the HMGH non-patient site (24.1%). CONCLUSION The emergence of contaminants in sewage water, such as ARGs and high pathogen levels, poses a potential risk to public health and the aquatic ecosystem.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A A Johar
- Research and Development Department, Barzan Holdings, Doha, Qatar
| | - M A Salih
- Biomedical Research Centre, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - H Al Mana
- Biomedical Research Centre, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - H A Hadi
- Communicable Diseases Centre, Infectious Disease Division, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - N O Eltai
- Biomedical Research Centre, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Suzuki S, Pruden A, Virta M, Zhang T. Editorial: Antibiotic resistance in aquatic systems, volume II. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1298681. [PMID: 37937217 PMCID: PMC10627218 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1298681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Satoru Suzuki
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Center for Marine Environmental Studies, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| | - Amy Pruden
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Marko Virta
- Department of Microbiology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tong Zhang
- Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Khera HK, Mishra R. Nucleic Acid Based Testing (NABing): A Game Changer Technology for Public Health. Mol Biotechnol 2023:10.1007/s12033-023-00870-4. [PMID: 37695473 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-023-00870-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Timely and accurate detection of the causal agent of a disease is crucial to restrict suffering and save lives. Mere symptoms are often not enough to detect the root cause of the disease. Better diagnostics applied for screening at a population level and sensitive detection assays remain the crucial component of disease surveillance which may include clinical, plant, and environmental samples, including wastewater. The recent advances in genome sequencing, nucleic acid amplification, and detection methods have revolutionized nucleic acid-based testing (NABing) and screening assays. A typical NABing assay consists of three modules: isolation of the nucleic acid from the collected sample, identification of the target sequence, and final reading the target with the help of a signal, which may be in the form of color, fluorescence, etc. Here, we review current NABing assays covering the different aspects of all three modules. We also describe the frequently used target amplification or signal amplification procedures along with the variety of applications of this fast-evolving technology and challenges in implementation of NABing in the context of disease management especially in low-resource settings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Harvinder Kour Khera
- Tata Institute for Genetics and Society, New inStem Building NCBS Campus, GKVK Post, Bellary Road, Bengaluru, 560065, India.
| | - Rakesh Mishra
- Tata Institute for Genetics and Society, New inStem Building NCBS Campus, GKVK Post, Bellary Road, Bengaluru, 560065, India.
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Uppal Rd, IICT Colony, Habsiguda, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500007, India.
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Abramova A, Berendonk TU, Bengtsson-Palme J. A global baseline for qPCR-determined antimicrobial resistance gene prevalence across environments. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 178:108084. [PMID: 37421899 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
The environment is an important component in the emergence and transmission of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Despite that, little effort has been made to monitor AMR outside of clinical and veterinary settings. Partially, this is caused by a lack of comprehensive reference data for the vast majority of environments. To enable monitoring to detect deviations from the normal background resistance levels in the environment, it is necessary to establish a baseline of AMR in a variety of settings. In an attempt to establish this baseline level, we here performed a comprehensive literature survey, identifying 150 scientific papers containing relevant qPCR data on antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) in environments associated with potential routes for AMR dissemination. The collected data included 1594 samples distributed across 30 different countries and 12 sample types, in a time span from 2001 to 2020. We found that for most ARGs, the typically reported abundances in human impacted environments fell in an interval from 10-5 to 10-3 copies per 16S rRNA, roughly corresponding to one ARG copy in a thousand bacteria. Altogether these data represent a comprehensive overview of the occurrence and levels of ARGs in different environments, providing background data for risk assessment models within current and future AMR monitoring frameworks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Abramova
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Guldhedsgatan 10A, SE-413 46 Gothenburg, Sweden; Centre for Antibiotic Resistance research (CARe) in Gothenburg, Sweden; Division of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Department of Life Sciences, SciLifeLab, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Thomas U Berendonk
- Institute for Hydrobiology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden 01062, Germany
| | - Johan Bengtsson-Palme
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Guldhedsgatan 10A, SE-413 46 Gothenburg, Sweden; Centre for Antibiotic Resistance research (CARe) in Gothenburg, Sweden; Division of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Department of Life Sciences, SciLifeLab, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Bengtsson-Palme J, Abramova A, Berendonk TU, Coelho LP, Forslund SK, Gschwind R, Heikinheimo A, Jarquín-Díaz VH, Khan AA, Klümper U, Löber U, Nekoro M, Osińska AD, Ugarcina Perovic S, Pitkänen T, Rødland EK, Ruppé E, Wasteson Y, Wester AL, Zahra R. Towards monitoring of antimicrobial resistance in the environment: For what reasons, how to implement it, and what are the data needs? ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 178:108089. [PMID: 37441817 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global threat to human and animal health and well-being. To understand AMR dynamics, it is important to monitor resistant bacteria and resistance genes in all relevant settings. However, while monitoring of AMR has been implemented in clinical and veterinary settings, comprehensive monitoring of AMR in the environment is almost completely lacking. Yet, the environmental dimension of AMR is critical for understanding the dissemination routes and selection of resistant microorganisms, as well as the human health risks related to environmental AMR. Here, we outline important knowledge gaps that impede implementation of environmental AMR monitoring. These include lack of knowledge of the 'normal' background levels of environmental AMR, definition of high-risk environments for transmission, and a poor understanding of the concentrations of antibiotics and other chemical agents that promote resistance selection. Furthermore, there is a lack of methods to detect resistance genes that are not already circulating among pathogens. We conclude that these knowledge gaps need to be addressed before routine monitoring for AMR in the environment can be implemented on a large scale. Yet, AMR monitoring data bridging different sectors is needed in order to fill these knowledge gaps, which means that some level of national, regional and global AMR surveillance in the environment must happen even without all scientific questions answered. With the possibilities opened up by rapidly advancing technologies, it is time to fill these knowledge gaps. Doing so will allow for specific actions against environmental AMR development and spread to pathogens and thereby safeguard the health and wellbeing of humans and animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Johan Bengtsson-Palme
- Division of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Department of Life Sciences, SciLifeLab, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Infectious Diseases, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Guldhedsgatan 10, SE-413 46 Gothenburg, Sweden; Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research (CARe) in Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Anna Abramova
- Division of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Department of Life Sciences, SciLifeLab, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Infectious Diseases, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Guldhedsgatan 10, SE-413 46 Gothenburg, Sweden; Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research (CARe) in Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Thomas U Berendonk
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Technische Universität Dresden, Zellescher Weg 40, 01217 Dresden, Germany
| | - Luis Pedro Coelho
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Sofia K Forslund
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a cooperation between the Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association and the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany; Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Lindenberger Weg 80, 13125 Berlin, Germany; Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany; DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rémi Gschwind
- Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, IAME F-75018 Paris, France
| | - Annamari Heikinheimo
- University of Helsinki, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, P.O.Box 66, FI-00014, Finland; Finnish Food Authority, P.O.Box 100, 00027 Seinäjoki, Finland
| | - Víctor Hugo Jarquín-Díaz
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a cooperation between the Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association and the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany; Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Lindenberger Weg 80, 13125 Berlin, Germany; Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
| | - Ayaz Ali Khan
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan; Department of Biotechnology, University of Malakand, Chakdara, Dir (Lower), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Uli Klümper
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Technische Universität Dresden, Zellescher Weg 40, 01217 Dresden, Germany
| | - Ulrike Löber
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a cooperation between the Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association and the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany; Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Lindenberger Weg 80, 13125 Berlin, Germany; Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
| | - Marmar Nekoro
- Swedish Knowledge Centre on Pharmaceuticals in the Environment, Swedish Medical Products Agency, P.O Box 26, 751 03 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Adriana D Osińska
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Paraclinical Sciences, P.O.Box 5003 NMBU, N-1432 Ås, Norway
| | - Svetlana Ugarcina Perovic
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tarja Pitkänen
- University of Helsinki, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, P.O.Box 66, FI-00014, Finland; Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Expert Microbiology Unit, P.O.Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, Finland
| | | | - Etienne Ruppé
- Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, IAME F-75018 Paris, France
| | - Yngvild Wasteson
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Paraclinical Sciences, P.O.Box 5003 NMBU, N-1432 Ås, Norway
| | | | - Rabaab Zahra
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Liguori K, Calarco J, Maldonado Rivera G, Kurowski A, Keenum I, Davis BC, Harwood VJ, Pruden A. Comparison of Cefotaxime-Resistant Escherichia coli and sul1 and intI1 by qPCR for Monitoring of Antibiotic Resistance of Wastewater, Surface Water, and Recycled Water. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1252. [PMID: 37627672 PMCID: PMC10451376 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12081252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Awareness of the need for surveillance of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in water environments is growing, but there is uncertainty regarding appropriate monitoring targets. Adapting culture-based fecal indicator monitoring to include antibiotics in the media provides a potentially low-tech and accessible option, while quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) targeting key genes of interest provides a broad, quantitative measure across the microbial community. The purpose of this study was to compare findings obtained from the culture of cefotaxime-resistant (cefR) Escherichia coli with two qPCR methods for quantification of antibiotic resistance genes across wastewater, recycled water, and surface waters. The culture method was a modification of US EPA Method 1603 for E. coli, in which cefotaxime is included in the medium to capture cefR strains, while qPCR methods quantified sul1 and intI1. A common standard operating procedure for each target was applied to samples collected by six water utilities across the United States and processed by two laboratories. The methods performed consistently, and all three measures reflected the same overarching trends across water types. The qPCR detection of sul1 yielded the widest dynamic range of measurement as an AMR indicator (7-log versus 3.5-log for cefR E. coli), while intI1 was the most frequently detected target (99% versus 96.5% and 50.8% for sul1 and cefR E. coli, respectively). All methods produced comparable measurements between labs (p < 0.05, Kruskal-Wallis). Further study is needed to consider how relevant each measure is to capturing hot spots for the evolution and dissemination of AMR in the environment and as indicators of AMR-associated human health risk.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Krista Liguori
- Via Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24060, USA (G.M.R.); (B.C.D.)
| | - Jeanette Calarco
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA (V.J.H.)
| | - Gabriel Maldonado Rivera
- Via Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24060, USA (G.M.R.); (B.C.D.)
| | - Anna Kurowski
- Via Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24060, USA (G.M.R.); (B.C.D.)
| | - Ishi Keenum
- Via Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24060, USA (G.M.R.); (B.C.D.)
| | - Benjamin C. Davis
- Via Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24060, USA (G.M.R.); (B.C.D.)
| | - Valerie J. Harwood
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA (V.J.H.)
| | - Amy Pruden
- Via Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24060, USA (G.M.R.); (B.C.D.)
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Ekakoro JE, Guptill LF, Hendrix GK, Dorsey L, Ruple A. Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Bacteria Isolated from Freshwater Mussels in the Wildcat Creek Watershed, Indiana, United States. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:antibiotics12040728. [PMID: 37107090 PMCID: PMC10135199 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12040728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health crisis that threatens the health of humans and animals. The spread of resistance among species may occur through our shared environment. Prevention of AMR requires integrated monitoring systems, and these systems must account for the presence of AMR in the environment in order to be effective. The purpose of this study was to establish and pilot a set of procedures for utilizing freshwater mussels as a means of surveillance for microbes with AMR in Indiana waterways. One hundred and eighty freshwater mussels were sampled from three sites along the Wildcat Creek watershed in north-central Indiana. Specimens were evaluated for the presence of ESKAPE pathogens (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter species), Escherichia coli, Campylobacter, and Salmonella species, and the isolates were tested for antimicrobial resistance. A total of 24 bacterial isolates were obtained from tissue homogenates of freshwater mussels collected at a site directly downstream from Kokomo, Indiana. Of these, 17 were Enterobacter spp., five were Escherichia coli, one was Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and one was Klebsiella pneumoniae. All isolates were resistant to three or more antimicrobial drug classes. Further work is necessary to determine the source of the bacterial species found in the mussels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John E Ekakoro
- Department of Public and Ecosystem Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Lynn F Guptill
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - G Kenitra Hendrix
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology/Indiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Lauren Dorsey
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Audrey Ruple
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Sticchi C, Raso R, Ferrara L, Vecchi E, Ferrero L, Filippi D, Finotto G, Frassinelli E, Silvestre C, Zozzoli S, Ambretti S, Diegoli G, Gagliotti C, Moro ML, Ricchizzi E, Tumietto F, Russo F, Tonon M, Maraglino F, Rezza G, Sabbatucci M. Increasing Number of Cases Due to Candida auris in North Italy, July 2019-December 2022. J Clin Med 2023; 12:jcm12051912. [PMID: 36902700 PMCID: PMC10003924 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12051912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida auris is an emerging fungus that represents a serious health threat globally. In Italy, the first case was detected in July 2019. Then, one case was reported to the Ministry of Health (MoH) on January 2020. Nine months later, a huge number of cases were reported in northern Italy. Overall, 361 cases were detected in 17 healthcare facilities between July 2019 and December 2022 in the Liguria, Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna, and Veneto regions, including 146 (40.4%) deaths. The majority of cases (91.8%) were considered as colonised. Only one had a history of travel abroad. Microbiological data on seven isolates showed that all but one strain (85.7%) were resistant to fluconazole. All the environmental samples tested negative. Weekly screening of contacts was performed by the healthcare facilities. Infection prevention and control (IPC) measures were applied locally. The MoH nominated a National Reference Laboratory to characterise C. auris isolates and store the strains. In 2021, Italy posted two messages through the Epidemic Intelligence Information System (EPIS) to inform on the cases. On February 2022, a rapid risk assessment indicated a high risk for further spread within Italy, but a low risk of spread to other countries.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Sticchi
- A.Li.Sa. Azienda Ligure Sanitaria, Ligurian Health Authority, 16121 Genova, Italy
| | - Roberto Raso
- Regional Epidemiology Reference Service for the Surveillance, Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases—Local Health Unit of Alessandria, 15121 Alessandria, Italy
| | - Lorenza Ferrara
- Regional Epidemiology Reference Service for the Surveillance, Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases—Local Health Unit of Alessandria, 15121 Alessandria, Italy
| | - Elena Vecchi
- Collective Prevention and Public Health Section—Directorate General for Personal Care, Health and Welfare—Emilia Romagna Region, 40100 Bologna, Italy
| | - Loredana Ferrero
- S.C. Health Directorate—P.O. Molinette—A.O.U. Città della Salute e della Scienza, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Daniela Filippi
- S.C. Health Directorate—P.O. Molinette—A.O.U. Città della Salute e della Scienza, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Finotto
- S.C. Health Directorate—P.O. Molinette—A.O.U. Città della Salute e della Scienza, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Elena Frassinelli
- S.C. Health Directorate—P.O. Molinette—A.O.U. Città della Salute e della Scienza, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Carlo Silvestre
- S.C. Health Directorate—P.O. Molinette—A.O.U. Città della Salute e della Scienza, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Susanna Zozzoli
- S.C. Health Directorate—P.O. Molinette—A.O.U. Città della Salute e della Scienza, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Simone Ambretti
- Microbiology Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
- Section of Microbiology, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Diegoli
- Collective Prevention and Public Health Section—Directorate General for Personal Care, Health and Welfare—Emilia Romagna Region, 40100 Bologna, Italy
| | - Carlo Gagliotti
- Regional Health and Social Agency—Emilia Romagna Region, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Maria Luisa Moro
- Regional Health and Social Agency—Emilia Romagna Region, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Enrico Ricchizzi
- Regional Health and Social Agency—Emilia Romagna Region, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Fabio Tumietto
- UO Antimicrobial Stewardship—AUSL Bologna, 40124 Bologna, Italy
| | - Francesca Russo
- Veneto Region, Directorate for Prevention, Veterinary Food Safety, 30123 Venice, Italy
| | - Michele Tonon
- Veneto Region, Directorate for Prevention, Veterinary Food Safety, 30123 Venice, Italy
| | - Francesco Maraglino
- Ministry of Health, Directorate General Health Prevention, Communicable Diseases and International Prophylaxis, 00144 Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Rezza
- Ministry of Health, Directorate General Health Prevention, Communicable Diseases and International Prophylaxis, 00144 Rome, Italy
| | - Michela Sabbatucci
- Ministry of Health, Directorate General Health Prevention, Communicable Diseases and International Prophylaxis, 00144 Rome, Italy
- Department Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Beltrán de Heredia I, Garbisu C, Alkorta I, Urra J, González-Gaya B, Ruiz-Romera E. Spatio-seasonal patterns of the impact of wastewater treatment plant effluents on antibiotic resistance in river sediments. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 319:120883. [PMID: 36572269 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
There is a growing concern about the risk of antibiotic resistance emergence and dissemination in the environment. Here, we evaluated the spatio-seasonal patterns of the impact of wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents on antibiotic resistance in river sediments. To this purpose, sediment samples were collected in three river basins affected by WWTP effluents in wet (high-water period) and dry (low-water period) hydrological conditions at three locations: (i) upstream the WWTPs; (ii) WWTP effluent discharge points (effluent outfall); and (iii) downstream the WWTPs (500 m downriver from the effluent outfall). The absolute and relative abundances of 9 antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), 3 mobile genetic element (MGE) genes, and 4 metal resistance genes (MRGs) were quantified in sediment samples, as well as a variety of physicochemical parameters, metal contents, and antibiotic concentrations in both sediment and water samples. In sediments, significantly higher relative abundances of most genes were observed in downstream vs. upstream sampling points. Seasonal changes (higher values in low-water vs. high-water period) were observed for both ARG absolute and relative abundances in sediment samples. Chemical data revealed the contribution of effluents from WWTPs as a source of antibiotic and metal contamination in river ecosystems. The observed positive correlations between ARG and MGE genes relative abundances point out to the role of horizontal gene transfer in antibiotic resistance dissemination. Monitoring plans that take into consideration spatio-temporal patterns must be implemented to properly assess the environmental fate of WWTP-related emerging contaminants in river ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Irene Beltrán de Heredia
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Plaza Ingeniero Torres Quevedo 1, 48013, Bilbao, Spain.
| | - Carlos Garbisu
- Department of Conservation of Natural Resources, NEIKER-Basque Institute of Agricultural Research and Development, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Bizkaia Science and Technology Park, P812, 48160, Derio, Spain
| | - Itziar Alkorta
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), P.O. Box 644, 48080, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Julen Urra
- Department of Conservation of Natural Resources, NEIKER-Basque Institute of Agricultural Research and Development, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Bizkaia Science and Technology Park, P812, 48160, Derio, Spain
| | - Belén González-Gaya
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Campus of Leioa, 48940, Leioa, Spain; Research Centre for Experimental Marine Biology and Biotechnology (PIE), University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Areatza Pasealekua 47, 48620, Plentzia, Spain
| | - Estilita Ruiz-Romera
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Plaza Ingeniero Torres Quevedo 1, 48013, Bilbao, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Tiwari A, Kurittu P, Al-Mustapha AI, Heljanko V, Johansson V, Thakali O, Mishra SK, Lehto KM, Lipponen A, Oikarinen S, Pitkänen T, Heikinheimo A. Wastewater surveillance of antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens: A systematic review. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:977106. [PMID: 36590429 PMCID: PMC9798455 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.977106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Infectious diseases caused by antibiotic-resistant bacterial (ARB) pathogens are a serious threat to human and animal health. The active surveillance of ARB using an integrated one-health approach can help to reduce the emergence and spread of ARB, reduce the associated economic impact, and guide antimicrobial stewardship programs. Wastewater surveillance (WWS) of ARB provides composite samples for a total population, with easy access to the mixed community microbiome. This concept is emerging rapidly, but the clinical utility, sensitivity, and uniformity of WWS of ARB remain poorly understood especially in relation to clinical evidence in sewershed communities. Here, we systematically searched the literature to identify studies that have compared findings from WWS of ARB and antibiotic resistance genes (ARG) with clinical evidence in parallel, thereby evaluating how likely WWS of ARB and ARG can relate to the clinical cases in communities. Initially, 2,235 articles were obtained using the primary search keywords, and 1,219 articles remained after de-duplication. Among these, 35 articles fulfilled the search criteria, and an additional 13 relevant articles were included by searching references in the primary literature. Among the 48 included papers, 34 studies used a culture-based method, followed by 11 metagenomics, and three PCR-based methods. A total of 28 out of 48 included studies were conducted at the single sewershed level, eight studies involved several countries, seven studies were conducted at national or regional scales, and five at hospital levels. Our review revealed that the performance of WWS of ARB pathogens has been evaluated more frequently for Escherichia coli, Enterococcus spp., and other members of the family Enterobacteriaceae, but has not been uniformly tested for all ARB pathogens. Many wastewater-based ARB studies comparing the findings with clinical evidence were conducted to evaluate the public health risk but not to relate with clinical evidence and to evaluate the performance of WWS of ARB. Indeed, relating WWS of ARB with clinical evidence in a sewershed is not straightforward, as the source of ARB in wastewater cannot be only from symptomatic human individuals but can also be from asymptomatic carriers as well as from animal sources. Further, the varying fates of each bacterial species and ARG within the sewerage make the aim of connecting WWS of ARB with clinical evidence more complicated. Therefore, future studies evaluating the performance of many AMR pathogens and their genes for WWS one by one can make the process simpler and the interpretation of results easier.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ananda Tiwari
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland,*Correspondence: Ananda Tiwari,
| | - Paula Kurittu
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ahmad I. Al-Mustapha
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland,Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria,Department of Veterinary Services, Kwara State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ilorin, Nigeria
| | - Viivi Heljanko
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Venla Johansson
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ocean Thakali
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Shyam Kumar Mishra
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Kirsi-Maarit Lehto
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Anssi Lipponen
- Expert Microbiology Unit, Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sami Oikarinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Tarja Pitkänen
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland,Expert Microbiology Unit, Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Annamari Heikinheimo
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland,Finnish Food Authority, Seinäjoki, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Williams RBH. Adapt or perish. eLife 2022; 11:83617. [PMID: 36346384 PMCID: PMC9642989 DOI: 10.7554/elife.83617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial communities in wastewater treatment plants provide insights into the development and mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rohan BH Williams
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, National University of Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Prieto Riquelme M, Garner E, Gupta S, Metch J, Zhu N, Blair MF, Arango-Argoty G, Maile-Moskowitz A, Li AD, Flach CF, Aga DS, Nambi IM, Larsson DGJ, Bürgmann H, Zhang T, Pruden A, Vikesland PJ. Demonstrating a Comprehensive Wastewater-Based Surveillance Approach That Differentiates Globally Sourced Resistomes. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:14982-14993. [PMID: 35759608 PMCID: PMC9631994 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c08673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) for disease monitoring is highly promising but requires consistent methodologies that incorporate predetermined objectives, targets, and metrics. Herein, we describe a comprehensive metagenomics-based approach for global surveillance of antibiotic resistance in sewage that enables assessment of 1) which antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are shared across regions/communities; 2) which ARGs are discriminatory; and 3) factors associated with overall trends in ARGs, such as antibiotic concentrations. Across an internationally sourced transect of sewage samples collected using a centralized, standardized protocol, ARG relative abundances (16S rRNA gene-normalized) were highest in Hong Kong and India and lowest in Sweden and Switzerland, reflecting national policy, measured antibiotic concentrations, and metal resistance genes. Asian versus European/US resistomes were distinct, with macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin, phenicol, quinolone, and tetracycline versus multidrug resistance ARGs being discriminatory, respectively. Regional trends in measured antibiotic concentrations differed from trends expected from public sales data. This could reflect unaccounted uses, captured only by the WBS approach. If properly benchmarked, antibiotic WBS might complement public sales and consumption statistics in the future. The WBS approach defined herein demonstrates multisite comparability and sensitivity to local/regional factors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Emily Garner
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia24061, United States
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia26506, United States
| | - Suraj Gupta
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia24061, United States
- The
Interdisciplinary PhD Program in Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Computational
Biology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia24061, United States
| | - Jake Metch
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia24061, United States
| | - Ni Zhu
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia24061, United States
| | - Matthew F. Blair
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia24061, United States
| | - Gustavo Arango-Argoty
- Department
of Computer Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia24061, United States
| | - Ayella Maile-Moskowitz
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia24061, United States
| | - An-dong Li
- Department
of Civil Engineering, The University of
Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
| | - Carl-Fredrik Flach
- Centre for
Antibiotic Resistance Research (CARe), University
of Gothenburg, 405 30Göteborg, Sweden
- Department
of Infectious Diseases, University of Gothenburg, 405 30Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Diana S. Aga
- Department
of Chemistry, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York14260, United States
| | - Indumathi M. Nambi
- Department
of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of
Technology, Madras,
Chennai600036, India
| | - D. G. Joakim Larsson
- Centre for
Antibiotic Resistance Research (CARe), University
of Gothenburg, 405 30Göteborg, Sweden
- Department
of Infectious Diseases, University of Gothenburg, 405 30Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Helmut Bürgmann
- Eawag:
Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, CH-6047Kastanienbaum, Switzerland
| | - Tong Zhang
- Department
of Civil Engineering, The University of
Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
| | - Amy Pruden
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia24061, United States
| | - Peter J. Vikesland
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia24061, United States
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Jin L, Pruden A, Boehm AB, Alvarez PJJ, Raskin L, Kohn T, Li X. Integrating Environmental Dimensions of "One Health" to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance: Essential Research Needs. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:14871-14874. [PMID: 35678702 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c01651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ling Jin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Amy Pruden
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg 24060, Virginia, United States
| | - Alexandria B Boehm
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford 94305, California, United States
| | - Pedro J J Alvarez
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University, Houston 77005, Texas, United States
| | - Lutgarde Raskin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan, 1351 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor 48109, Michigan, United States
| | - Tamar Kohn
- Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Xiangdong Li
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Waśko I, Kozińska A, Kotlarska E, Baraniak A. Clinically Relevant β-Lactam Resistance Genes in Wastewater Treatment Plants. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph192113829. [PMID: 36360709 PMCID: PMC9657204 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192113829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the largest global concerns due to its influence in multiple areas, which is consistent with One Health's concept of close interconnections between people, animals, plants, and their shared environments. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) circulate constantly in various niches, sediments, water sources, soil, and wastes of the animal and plant sectors, and is linked to human activities. Sewage of different origins gets to the wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), where ARB and ARG removal efficiency is still insufficient, leading to their transmission to discharge points and further dissemination. Thus, WWTPs are believed to be reservoirs of ARGs and the source of spreading AMR. According to a World Health Organization report, the most critical pathogens for public health include Gram-negative bacteria resistant to third-generation cephalosporins and carbapenems (last-choice drugs), which represent β-lactams, the most widely used antibiotics. Therefore, this paper aimed to present the available research data for ARGs in WWTPs that confer resistance to β-lactam antibiotics, with a particular emphasis on clinically important life-threatening mechanisms of resistance, including extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) and carbapenemases (KPC, NDM).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Izabela Waśko
- Department of Biomedical Research, National Medicines Institute, Chelmska 30/34, 00-725 Warsaw, Poland
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-228-410-623
| | - Aleksandra Kozińska
- Department of Biomedical Research, National Medicines Institute, Chelmska 30/34, 00-725 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Ewa Kotlarska
- Genetics and Marine Biotechnology Department, Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Powstancow Warszawy 55, 81-712 Sopot, Poland
| | - Anna Baraniak
- Department of Biomedical Research, National Medicines Institute, Chelmska 30/34, 00-725 Warsaw, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Zhang J, Yang C, Hu J, Zhang Y, Lai Y, Gong H, Guo F, Li X, Ye L, Li B. Deciphering a novel chloramphenicols resistance mechanism: Oxidative inactivation of the propanediol pharmacophore. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 225:119127. [PMID: 36155007 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.119127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Expanding knowledge about new types of antibiotic resistance genes is of great significance in dealing with the global antibiotic resistance crisis. Herein, a novel oxidoreductase capO was discovered to be responsible for oxidative inactivation of chloramphenicol and thiamphenicol. The antibiotic resistance mechanism was comprehensively deciphered using multi-omics and multiscale computational approaches. A 66,383 bp DNA fragment carrying capO was shared among four chloramphenicol-resistant strains, and the co-occurrence of capO with a mobile genetic element cluster revealed its potential mobility among different taxa. Metagenomic analysis of 772 datasets indicated that chloramphenicol was the crucial driving factor for the development and accumulation of capO in activated sludge bioreactors treating antibiotic production wastewater. Therefore, we should pay sufficient attention to its possible prevalence and transfer to pathogens, especially in some hotspot environments contaminated with high concentrations of chloramphenicols. This finding significantly expands our knowledge boundary about chloramphenicols resistance mechanisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiayu Zhang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, China
| | - Chao Yang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology for Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, China
| | - Jiahui Hu
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, China
| | - Yiting Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology for Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, China
| | - Yuezheng Lai
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Frontiers Science Center for Cell Responses, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, China
| | - Hongri Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Frontiers Science Center for Cell Responses, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, China
| | - Fangliang Guo
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, China
| | - Xiaoyan Li
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, China
| | - Lin Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, China
| | - Bing Li
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, China.
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Azuma T, Uchiyama T, Zhang D, Usui M, Hayashi T. Distribution and characteristics of carbapenem-resistant and extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producing Escherichia coli in hospital effluents, sewage treatment plants, and river water in an urban area of Japan. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 839:156232. [PMID: 35623520 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Occurrence of profiles of the carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli (CRE-E) and extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-E) in an urban river in a sub-catchment of the Yodo River Basin, one of the representative water systems of Japan was investigated. We conducted seasonal and year-round surveys for the antimicrobial-resistant bacteria (AMRB) and antimicrobial-resistance genes (AMRGs) in hospital effluents, sewage treatment plant (STP) wastewater, and river water; subsequently, contributions to wastewater discharge into the rivers were estimated by analyses based on the mass flux. Furthermore, the characteristics of AMRB in the water samples were evaluated on the basis of antimicrobial susceptibility tests. CRE-E and ESBL-E were detected in all water samples with mean values 11 and 1900 CFU/mL in the hospital effluent, 58 and 4550 CFU/mL in the STP influent, not detected to 1 CFU/mL in the STP effluent, and 1 and 1 CFU/mL in the STP discharge into the river, respectively. Contributions of the pollution load derived from the STP effluent discharged into the river water were 1 to 21%. The resistome profiles for blaIMP, blaTEM, and blaCTX-M genes in each water sample showed that AMRGs were not completely removed in the wastewater treatment process in the STP, and the relative abundances of blaIMP, blaTEM, and blaCTX-M genes were almost similar (P<0.05). Susceptibility testing of antimicrobial-resistant E. coli isolates showed that CRE-E and ESBL-E detected in wastewaters and river water were linked to the prevalence of AMRB in clinical settings. These results suggest the importance of conducting environmental risk management of AMRB and AMRGs in the river environment. To our knowledge, this is the first detailed study that links the medical environment to CRE-E and ESBL-E for evaluating the AMRB and AMRGs in hospital effluents, STP wastewater, and river water at the basin scale on the basis of mass flux as well as the contributions of CRE-E and ESBL-E to wastewater discharge into the river.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Azuma
- Department of Pharmacy, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University, 4-20-1 Nasahara, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-1094, Japan.
| | - Tomoharu Uchiyama
- Food Microbiology and Food Safety, Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, 582 Midorimachi, Bunkyodai, Ebetsu, Hokkaido 069-8501, Japan
| | - Dongsheng Zhang
- Food Microbiology and Food Safety, Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, 582 Midorimachi, Bunkyodai, Ebetsu, Hokkaido 069-8501, Japan
| | - Masaru Usui
- Food Microbiology and Food Safety, Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, 582 Midorimachi, Bunkyodai, Ebetsu, Hokkaido 069-8501, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Hayashi
- Department of Pharmacy, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University, 4-20-1 Nasahara, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-1094, Japan; Faculty of Human Development, Department of Food and Nutrition Management Studies, Soai University, 4-4-1 Nankonaka, Osaka Suminoeku, Osaka 559-0033, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Robins K, Leonard AFC, Farkas K, Graham DW, Jones DL, Kasprzyk-Hordern B, Bunce JT, Grimsley JMS, Wade MJ, Zealand AM, McIntyre-Nolan S. Research needs for optimising wastewater-based epidemiology monitoring for public health protection. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2022; 20:1284-1313. [PMID: 36170187 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2022.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is an unobtrusive method used to observe patterns in illicit drug use, poliovirus, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The pandemic and need for surveillance measures have led to the rapid acceleration of WBE research and development globally. With the infrastructure available to monitor SARS-CoV-2 from wastewater in 58 countries globally, there is potential to expand targets and applications for public health protection, such as other viral pathogens, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), pharmaceutical consumption, or exposure to chemical pollutants. Some applications have been explored in academic research but are not used to inform public health decision-making. We reflect on the current knowledge of WBE for these applications and identify barriers and opportunities for expanding beyond SARS-CoV-2. This paper critically reviews the applications of WBE for public health and identifies the important research gaps for WBE to be a useful tool in public health. It considers possible uses for pathogenic viruses, AMR, and chemicals. It summarises the current evidence on the following: (1) the presence of markers in stool and urine; (2) environmental factors influencing persistence of markers in wastewater; (3) methods for sample collection and storage; (4) prospective methods for detection and quantification; (5) reducing uncertainties; and (6) further considerations for public health use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katie Robins
- Environmental Monitoring for Health Protection, UK Health Security Agency, Nobel House, London SW1P 3HX, UK E-mail: ; School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Cassie Building, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Anne F C Leonard
- Environmental Monitoring for Health Protection, UK Health Security Agency, Nobel House, London SW1P 3HX, UK E-mail: ; University of Exeter Medical School, European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Kata Farkas
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK
| | - David W Graham
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Cassie Building, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
| | - David L Jones
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK; SoilsWest, Centre for Sustainable Farming Systems, Food Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6105, Australia
| | | | - Joshua T Bunce
- Environmental Monitoring for Health Protection, UK Health Security Agency, Nobel House, London SW1P 3HX, UK E-mail: ; School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Cassie Building, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Jasmine M S Grimsley
- Environmental Monitoring for Health Protection, UK Health Security Agency, Nobel House, London SW1P 3HX, UK E-mail:
| | - Matthew J Wade
- Environmental Monitoring for Health Protection, UK Health Security Agency, Nobel House, London SW1P 3HX, UK E-mail: ; School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Cassie Building, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Andrew M Zealand
- Environmental Monitoring for Health Protection, UK Health Security Agency, Nobel House, London SW1P 3HX, UK E-mail:
| | - Shannon McIntyre-Nolan
- Environmental Monitoring for Health Protection, UK Health Security Agency, Nobel House, London SW1P 3HX, UK E-mail: ; Her Majesty's Prison and Probation Service, Ministry of Justice, London, SW1H 9AJ, UK
| |
Collapse
|