Gram-negative bacteria carrying beta-lactamase encoding genes in hospital and urban wastewater in Brazil

Author(s)

Zagui, Guilherme Sgobbi ^[1] ; de Andrade, Leonardo Neves ^[2] ; Moreira, Natalia Columbaro ^[2] ; Silva, Thais Vilela ^[1] ; Machado, Gabriel Pinheiro ^[1] ; da Costa Darini, Ana Lucia ^[2] ; Segura-Munoz, Susana Ines ^{[1, 3]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Slo Paulo, Coll Nursing Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Pharmaceut Sci Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Coll Nursing Ribeirao Preto, Lab Ecotoxicol & Environm Parasitol, Dept Maternal Infant Nursing & Publ Hlth, Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT; v. 192, n. 6 MAY 17 2020.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Multidrug resistance mediated by beta-lactamase in Gram-negative bacilli is a serious public health problem. Sewers are considered reservoirs of multiresistant bacteria due to presence of antibiotics that select them and favor their dissemination. The present study evaluated the antibiotic resistance profile and beta-lactamases production in Gram-negative bacilli isolates from hospital sewage and urban wastewater treatment plants (UWWTP) in Brazil. Bacteria were isolated and identified with biochemical tests. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed by the disk-diffusion method and detection of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase and carbapenemases by enzymatic inhibitor and conventional PCR. Differences in resistance to amoxicillin clavulanic, aztreonam, cefepime, and cefotaxime were observed in hospital sewage compared with urban sewage (p < 0.05). The multidrug-resistant phenotype was observed in 33.3% of hospital sewage isolates (p = 0.0025). beta-lactamases genes were found in 35.6% of isolates, with the most frequent being bla(KPC) and bla(TEM) (17.8%), and bla(SHV) and bla(CTX-M) (13.3% and 8.9%, respectively). The data obtained are relevant, since the bacteria detected are on the priority pathogens list from the World Health Organization and hospital sewage could be released untreated into the municipal collection system, which may favor the spread of resistance. Changes in hospital sewage discharge practices, as well as additional technologies regarding effluent disinfection in the UWWTP, can prevent the spread of these bacteria into the environment and negative impact on water resources. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 17/10723-0 - Evaluation of multidrug resistance of bacteria isolated from hospital and domestic effluent: determination of survival to the treatment of sewage and inactivating antibiotic enzymes
• Grantee: Guilherme Sgobbi Zagui
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master