Abstract
Understanding the antibiotic resistance transmission mechanisms and migration dynamics of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) in the natural environment is critical given the increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistance. The aim of this study was to examine the fate of sulfonamide-resistant fecal bacteria (E. coli) in an estuary ecosystem and to explore the role and contribution of environmental factors in this process. The prevalence of sulfonamide-resistance status of E. coli was analyzed over different seasons in two estuary systems. Environmental factors and disturbance indices of anthropogenic activities were evaluated by detecting antibiotic concentrations, heavy metal abundance and other physicochemical parameters. The abundances of antibiotic-resistant E. coli were significantly attenuated during land-sea migration suggesting that estuary environments play a natural mitigation role in the contamination of freshwaters by antibiotic-resistant E. coli. Additionally, environmental factors and disturbance indices of anthropogenic activities significantly correlated with the distribution and migration of antibiotic-resistant E. coli in the estuaries. Lastly, simulation experiments suggested differential adaptability between antibiotic-resistant and non-resistant E. coli towards environmental changes in estuary environments. Meanwhile, our results indicate that low concentrations of antibiotics will not increase the competitive advantage of resistant E. coli in estuaries.
Highlights
The increase in the number of antibiotic-resistant and multi-resistant bacterial strains is a major health security challenge of the twenty-first century and poses a serious threat to clinical practices
Antibiotic resistance has become a major threat to human health worldwide, this phenomenon has been largely overlooked in environmental studies
The present study demonstrated that: 1. estuarine ecosystems play a natural attenuator role in the substantial reduction of sulfonamide-resistant E. coli abundances and in the migration process of Antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) from rivers to oceans
Summary
The increase in the number of antibiotic-resistant and multi-resistant bacterial strains is a major health security challenge of the twenty-first century and poses a serious threat to clinical practices. A more complete understanding of the migration dynamics and transmission mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in natural aquatic environments is extremely important towards reducing the impact of antibiotic resistance and limiting its dispersal. During the migration of ARB from estuarine to marine environments, the spread of antibiotic resistance may become significantly more difficult with increasing environmental change, due to the inhibition of vertical transmission of ARB8. The present study aimed to examine the distribution and migration dynamics of sulfonamide-resistant E. coli in two estuaries under differential influence of anthropogenic activities and explore the role and contribution of environmental factors in this process. This study provides neoteric perspective to reassess the role and potential risk of environmental pressures from non-antibiotic contaminants on sulfonamide-resistant E. coli migration
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