Biomonitoring of resistance to next-generation antibiotics (ceftazidime/avibactam, ceftolozane/tazobactam, cefiderocol) in polluted aquatic environments and hospital sewage in the state of São Paulo

• Grant number: 24/05243-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: November 01, 2024
• End date: October 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Nilton Erbet Lincopan Huenuman
• Grantee: Rubens Renato de Sousa Carmo
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Bacterial resistance is a global public health and One Health problem, as it reduces treatment options for infections produced by clinically relevant pathogens. The spread of multidrug-resistant pathogens is not restricted to the hospital environment, extending to anthropogenically polluted aquatic environments, such as hospital sewage. For multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens, new antibiotics [ceftazidime/avibactam (CZA), ceftolozane/tazobactam (C/T), and cefiderocol] have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In 2018, ANVISA approved the use of CZA and C/T in Brazil, while cefiderocol is in the evaluation process. Currently, there is an emergence of carbapenemase co-producing bacteria. These pathogens can hydrolyze all ²-lactams, as well as new combinations of ²-lactamases inhibitors (CZA and C/T). This research project aims to biomonitor resistance to state-of-the-art antibiotics in Gram-negative bacteria isolated from aquatic environments and hospital effluents, in São Paulo. The isolated species will be identified using the MALDI-TOF technique. The phenotypic resistance characterization of the isolates will be carried out by antibiogram, following the standards and cutoff points of BrCAST and EUCAST and identification of coproduction of carbapenemases. The genome sequencing of resistant strains will be carried out using the Illumina NextSeq platform with subsequent bioinformatic analysis to predict the resistome, mobilome, virulome and identification of sequence types (STs) by MLST. The results will contribute to updating surveillance data and formulating policies to control the proliferation of bacterial resistance, aiming to prevent the occurrence of infections caused by pathogens resistant to next-generation antibiotics.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

SOUSA-CARMO, RUBENS R.; BECERRA, JOHANA; SANO, ELDER; FONTANA, HERRISON; MARTINS-GONSALVES, THAIS; QUEIROGA, GUSTAVO; FUGA, BRUNA; SILVA, RENAN L. O.; BARBOSA, MIKAELA R. F.; SATO, MARIA INES Z.; et al. Tracking pandemic pathogens from wastewater surveillance in international airports: Klebsiella pneumoniae ST16 coproducing NDM-4 and OXA-181 arriving in South America. LANCET MICROBE, v. 6, n. 4, p. 2-pg., 2025-04-01. (21/10599-3, 24/05243-3, 23/18292-0)