DUGi

Occurrence of antibiotic resistance genes in aquatic microbial communities exposed to anthropogenic activities

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The overuse of antibiotics has led to the selection of resistant strains. This thesis investigated the occurrence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in aquatic microbial communities influenced by anthropogenic activities. In this study, qPCR assays were designed to quantify the plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance in environmental samples. Then, several ARGs conferring resistance to several groups of antibiotics were quantified in biofilms and sediments from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) discharge point and the receiving river. Ciprofloxacin-resistant strains were also isolated an screened for the presence of qnr genes and aac(6’)-Ib-cr and their association with extended-spectrum β-lactamases. A multidrug resistance-encoding plasmid from an Aeromonas sp. was further characterized. Overall, ARGs were detected in different matrices (water, biofilm and sediment), both in bacteriophages and bacteria, and different sources (rivers, effluents from several human and veterinary hospitals, subterranean water, chicken faeces and WWTP effluents), indicating that these emerging pollutants are widely distributed in the environments exposed to anthropogenic activities

L’ús excessiu d’antibiòtics ha portat a la selecció de soques resistents. En aquesta tesi es va investigar l’aparició de gens de resistència als antibiòtics (ARGs) a les comunitats microbianes aquàtiques impactades per activitats antropogèniques. En primer lloc, es van dissenyar assajos de qPCR per quantificar gens de resistència a quinolones localitzats en plàsmids. A continuació, es van quantificar diversos ARGs que confereixen resistència a diversos grups d’antibiòtics en biofilms i sediments d’un punt d’abocament d’una planta de tractament d’aigües residuals (EDAR) i del riu receptor. També es van aïllar soques resistents a la ciprofloxacina i es va analitzar la presència de gens qnr i aac (6’)-Ib-cr i la seva associació amb beta-lactamases d’ampli espectre. Per acabar, es va caracteritzar un plàsmid multiresistent procedent d’Aeromonas sp. En general, es van detectar ARGs en diferents matrius (aigua, biofilm i sediments), tant en bacteriòfags com a bacteris, i en diferents fonts (rius, efluents de diversos hospitals humans i veterinaris, aigües subterrànies, excrements de pollastre i efluents d’EDAR) , el que indica que aquests contaminants emergents estan àmpliament distribuïts en els ambients exposats a activitats antropogèniques

This thesis was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (RYC-2011-08154) and the Fundación Eugenio Rodríguez Pascual, Spain

Universitat de Girona