Airborne antibiotic resistance genes in Hong Kong kindergartens. (May 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Na; Chai, Yemao; Ying, Guang-Guo; Jones, Kevin C.; Deng, Wen-Jing
• Is Part Of: Environmental pollution. Volume 260(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-05
• Subjects: Indoor air pollution -- Multi-resistant bacteria -- Network analysis -- Urine -- Soil; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Effets physiologiques -- Périodiques; Pollution; Pollution -- Environmental aspects; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 363.73
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114009
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-7491

Abstract

Abstract: Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) have become a critical global public health issue in this century. There is increasing evidence for the presence and transmission of ARGs by air transmission. In this research, ARGs and ARB in air conditioner filter dust (AC dust) and urine samples from 55 kindergarten children in 17 kindergartens and nearby 10 soil samples in Hong Kong were analyzed. The results showed the presence of 16 ARG subtypes and the mobile genetic element (MGE) intI1 in AC dust, and 12 ARG subtypes in the soil samples. ARGs presenting resistance to sulfonamide (6.9 × 10 −3 –0.17) (expressed as relative abundance of the 16 S rRNA genes) were most abundant followed by macrolides (1.8 × 10 −3 –3.3 × 10 −2 ), sul1, sul2 (sulfonamide), ermF (macrolides) and intI1 genes in AC dust in 17 kindergartens. For soil samples, 12 ARG subtypes and the intI1 were detected, and the genes providing resistance to sulfonamide (1.6 × 10 −3 –2.7 × 10 −1 ) were the most abundant ARGs in the 10 soil samples, followed by tetracycline (ND–1.4 × 10 −2 ). Multi-resistant bacteria with sul1, sul2, intI1, or tetQ were detected in all AC dust samples and some urine samples. Based on bacterial genera and ARG co-occurrence network analysis and Hong Kong's special geographical location and cultural environment, there might be two origins for the ARGs detected in the kindergartens: β-lactam/macrolide ARGs mainly derived from human medicine use and tetracycline/sulfonamide ARGs mainly from other areas, as well as IntI1 may play a role in the spread of ARGs in Hong Kong. The widely detection of ARGs in AC dust in kindergartens in Hong Kong highlights the need for the improvement of management measures. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Antibiotic resistance genes of sulfonamide and macrolides were most abundant in dust. Multi-resistant bacteria were detected in each dust and some urine samples. Source is divided into tetracyclines/sulfonamides and β-lactams/macrolides. Mobile genetic element may play a role in the spread of ARGs in Hong Kong. . Abstract : ARGs or multi-resistant bacteria were wildly detected in AC dust in kindergartens, nearby soil samples and children urine samples in Hong Kong.