Abstract
Antibiotic failure is occurring worldwide. In a routine surveillance study on antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in natural water bodies, we noted the detection of colistin-resistance gene mcr-1, previously identified in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from human beings and animals in several countries. The mcr-1 gene might be present in water environments, because aquatic ecosystems are recognized as reservoirs for antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and ARGs. In this study, a qPCR assay was developed to monitor and quantify the mcr-1 gene in the Haihe River, China. The results showed that all 18 samples collected from different locations over 6 months along the Haihe River were positive for the mcr-1 gene, and the highest level of mcr-1 reached 3.81 × 105 gene copies (GC) per liter of water. This is the first study to quantify mcr-1 in a natural water system by qPCR. Our findings highlight the potential for this antibiotic resistance determinant to spread extensively, suggesting a significant health and ecological impact.
Highlights
The discovery of penicillin in the 1920s initiated the era of antibiotics
Using a dilution series of 7.8 × 100 to 7.8 × 106 copies of mcr-1 plasmid DNA, and the lower quantification limit of DNA was equivalent to 8 gene copies (GC) per reaction, indicating that the sensitivity of the qPCR assay was excellent
We are entering into a no-antibiotic era, in which resistant bacterial infections can return as an even deadlier threat
Summary
A wide variety of new antibiotics was introduced in the few decades They were successful in controlling bacterial infections in the early stage of clinical use, antibiotic resistance was identified shortly thereafter [1]. Resistance has developed to all antibiotics, including the fluoroquinolones, vancomycin, cephalosporins and carbapenems [1,2] The cause of this crisis has been attributed to the abuse of antibiotic use in clinical practice and excessive use in agriculture and livestock treatment [1,3]. Up to 90% of the antibiotics are excreted into the environment, where they remove sensitive competitors, leaving resistant bacteria to proliferate and evolve [4] These bacteria may infect humans via direct or indirect contact, and the infections they cause are harder to control as the antibiotics used to treat them become less effective.
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