Dissemination of antibiotic resistance in aquatic bacterial communities at the interface between animal and human health

Antibiotic resistance is a global threat caused by antibiotic misuse and the release of antibiotics into the environment. Aquatic ecosystems are a hotspot for the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs).

Supported by state-of-the-art technologies, here we set out to measure the levels of circulating ARGs in areas with high anthropic influence, namely polluted coastal sites, aquaculture facilities, and wastewater.

We will capture mobile genetic elements conferring resistance in these environments, and resistant Escherichia coli, Vibrio spp., Shewanella spp. will be isolated, representing waterborne bacteria that can be pathogenic to humans and farmed fish.

Preliminary data suggest that mobile genetic elements containing ARGs may have a relatively narrow host range influenced by genetic and physiological factors.

Resistant bacteria with improved fitness may give rise to successful clones that spread in the environment causing disease outbreaks. We will investigate how and to what extent such factors affect resistance acquisition to shed light on these questions.

This project, which is supported by a network of stakeholders from the aquaculture and wastewater treatment sectors, aims to provide an integrated picture of the current situation in representative areas of Sweden, understand the flow of ARGs from human to environmental bacteria and vice versa, and aid in the prediction of disease outbreaks affecting fish stocks, thereby reducing their economic burden.