Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

First Screening of Beta-Lactam Antibiotic Resistance Genes and Bacterial Diversity in the Public Transport System of Quito, Ecuador

Fernanda Gabriela Hernandez-Alomia
ORCID logo ,
Carlos Andrès Bastidas-Caldes
,
Isabel Ballesteros
,
Gabriela N. Tenea
ORCID logo ,
Pablo Santiago Jarrin
ORCID logo ,
Carlos Alfonso Molina
,
Pablo Castillejo
* ORCID logo
Version 1 : Received: 22 December 2022 / Approved: 29 December 2022 / Online: 29 December 2022 (02:05:52 CET)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Hernández-Alomía, F.; Bastidas-Caldes, C.; Ballesteros, I.; Tenea, G.N.; Jarrín-V., P.; Molina, C.A.; Castillejo, P. Beta-Lactam Antibiotic Resistance Genes in the Microbiome of the Public Transport System of Quito, Ecuador. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 1900. Hernández-Alomía, F.; Bastidas-Caldes, C.; Ballesteros, I.; Tenea, G.N.; Jarrín-V., P.; Molina, C.A.; Castillejo, P. Beta-Lactam Antibiotic Resistance Genes in the Microbiome of the Public Transport System of Quito, Ecuador. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 1900.

Abstract

Background: Multidrug-resistant bacteria present resistance mechanisms against β-lactam antibiotics, such as Extended-Spectrum Beta-lactamases (ESBL) and Metallo-β-lactamases enzymes (MBLs) operon encoded in Gram-negative species. Likewise, Gram-positive bacteria have evolved other mechanisms through mec genes, which encode modified penicillin-binding proteins (PBP2). This study aimed to determine the presence and spread of β-lactam antibiotic resistance genes and the microbiome circulating in Quito’s Public Transport (QTP). Methods: A total of 29 station turnstiles were swabbed to extract the surface environmental DNA. PCRs were performed to detect the presence of 13 antibiotic resistance genes and to identify 16S rDNA barcoding, followed by clone analysis, Sanger sequencing and BLAST search. Results: ESBL genes blaTEM-1 and blaCTX-M-1 and MBL genes blaOXA-181 and mecA were detected along QPT stations. Two subvariants were found for blaTEM-1, blaCTX-M-1, and blaOXA-181. Almost half of the circulating bacteria found at QPT stations were common human microbiota species including those classified by the WHO as pathogens of critical and high-priority surveillance. Conclusions: β-lactam antibiotic resistance genes are widely spread throughout QPT. This is the first report of blaOXA-181 in environmental samples in Ecuador. Moreover, we detected a new putative variant of this gene. Some commensal coagulase-negative bacteria may have a role as mecA resistance reservoirs

Keywords

mecA; blaTEM-1; blaOXA-181; blaCTX-M-1; environmental-DNA; antibiotic-resistance

Subject

Biology and Life Sciences, Immunology and Microbiology

Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Download PDF

Comments (0)

We encourage comments and feedback from a broad range of readers. See criteria for comments and our Diversity statement.

Leave a public comment
Send a private comment to the author(s)
* All users must log in before leaving a comment
Views 0
Downloads 0
Comments 0
Metrics 0
Get PDF Cite Share 0
Bookmark BibSonomy Mendeley Reddit Delicious
×
Alerts
Notify me about updates to this article or when a peer-reviewed version is published.
We use cookies on our website to ensure you get the best experience.
Read more about our cookies here.