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Cheung MK, Ng RWY, Lai CKC, Zhu C, Au ETK, Yau JWK, Li C, Wong HC, Wong BCK, Kwok KO, Chen Z, Chan PKS, Lui GCY, Ip M. Alterations in faecal microbiome and resistome in Chinese international travellers: a metagenomic analysis. J Travel Med 2023; 30:taad027. [PMID: 36864573 PMCID: PMC10628765 DOI: 10.1093/jtm/taad027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND International travel increases the risk of acquisition of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Previous studies have characterized the changes in the gut microbiome and resistome of Western travellers; however, information on non-Western populations and the effects of travel-related risk factors on the gut microbiome and resistome remains limited. METHODS We conducted a prospective observational study on a cohort of 90 healthy Chinese adult residents of Hong Kong. We characterized the microbiome and resistome in stools collected from the subjects before and after travelling to diverse international locations using shotgun metagenomic sequencing and examined their associations with travel-related variables. RESULTS Our results showed that travel neither significantly changed the taxonomic composition of the faecal microbiota nor altered the alpha (Shannon) or beta diversity of the faecal microbiome or resistome. However, travel significantly increased the number of ARGs. Ten ARGs, including aadA, TEM, mgrB, mphA, qnrS9 and tetR, were significantly enriched in relative abundance after travel, eight of which were detected in metagenomic bins belonging to Escherichia/Shigella flexneri in the post-trip samples. In sum, 30 ARGs significantly increased in prevalence after travel, with the largest changes observed in tetD and a few qnrS variants (qnrS9, qnrS and qnrS8). We found that travel to low- or middle-income countries, or Africa or Southeast Asia, increased the number of ARG subtypes, whereas travel to low- or middle-income countries and the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer (ABHS) or doxycycline as antimalarial prophylaxis during travel resulted in increased changes in the beta diversity of the faecal resistome. CONCLUSIONS Our study highlights travel to low- or middle-income countries, Africa or Southeast Asia, a long travel duration, or the use of ABHS or doxycycline as antimalarial prophylaxis as important risk factors for the acquisition/enrichment of ARGs during international travel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man Kit Cheung
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Rita W Y Ng
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Christopher K C Lai
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Chendi Zhu
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Eva T K Au
- University Health Service, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Jennifer W K Yau
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Carmen Li
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Ho Cheong Wong
- University Health Service, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Bonnie C K Wong
- Department of Medicine & Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Kin On Kwok
- The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Stanley Ho Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Zigui Chen
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Paul K S Chan
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Grace C Y Lui
- Department of Medicine & Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Margaret Ip
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
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Küpper T, Apel C, Bertsch D, van der Giet M, van der Giet S, Graß M, Cerfontaine C, Haunolder M, Hundt N, Kühn C, Morrison A, Museo S, Timmermann L, Wernitz K, Jäger J. Analysis of local drinking water for fecal contamination in Solu-Khumbu / Mt. Everest region, Nepal. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2022; 246:114043. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2022.114043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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