Abstract
Due to the extensive use of antimicrobial agents in human and veterinary medicine, residues of various antimicrobials get into wastewater and, subsequently, surface water. On the one hand, a combination of processes in wastewater treatment plants aims to eliminate chemical and biological pollutants; on the other hand, this environment may create conditions suitable for the horizontal transfer of resistance genes and potential selection of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Wastewater and surface water samples (Morava River) were analyzed to determine the concentrations of 10 antibiotics and identify those exceeding so-called predicted no-effect environmental concentrations (PNECs). This study revealed that residues of five of the tested antimicrobials, namely ampicillin, clindamycin, tetracycline, tigecycline and vancomycin, in wastewater samples exceeded the PNEC. Vancomycin concentrations were analyzed with respect to the detected strains of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), in which the presence of resistance genes, virulence factors and potential relationship were analyzed. VRE were detected in 16 wastewater samples (11%) and two surface water samples (6%). The PNEC of vancomycin was exceed in 16% of the samples. Since the detected VRE did not correlate with the vancomycin concentrations, no direct relationship was confirmed between the residues of this antimicrobials and the presence of the resistant strains.
Highlights
Published: 15 December 2021Human health, animal health and a healthy ecosystem are inextricably linked
The emergence and development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in water sources has been the center of attention for numerous research groups in recent years
The authors mainly point to the fact that water sources such as rivers, lakes, ponds and, especially, wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) may serve as hotspots for promoting the spread of AMR [13,16,17,35]
Summary
Published: 15 December 2021Human health, animal health and a healthy ecosystem are inextricably linked. The international One Health Initiative seeks to promote, improve and protect human and animal health, including the environment they live in. Enterococci are bacteria highly resistant to environmental influences, which allows them to survive in the external environment [2,3]. They are a part of the normal intestinal microflora of both humans and animals but, at the same time, important bacterial pathogens, especially in humans. The vast majority of human enterococcal infections are caused by the species Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium, with especially the latter being treated with glycopeptides, vancomycin and teicoplanin. There may be numerous sources of VRE, including the human gastrointestinal tract, animals, the hospital environment and wastewater [8,9,10,11,12,13]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
