The Occurrence of the Colistin Resistance Gene mcr-1 in the Haihe River (China)

Dong Yang, Zhigang Qiu, Zhiqiang Shen, Hong Zhao, Min Jin, Huaying Li, Weili Liu and Jun-Wen Li
Additional contact information
Dong Yang: Department of Environment and Health, Tianjin Institute of Health and Environmental Medicine; Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment and Food Safety, No.1, Dali Road, Tianjin 300050, China
Zhigang Qiu: Department of Environment and Health, Tianjin Institute of Health and Environmental Medicine; Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment and Food Safety, No.1, Dali Road, Tianjin 300050, China
Zhiqiang Shen: Department of Environment and Health, Tianjin Institute of Health and Environmental Medicine; Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment and Food Safety, No.1, Dali Road, Tianjin 300050, China
Hong Zhao: Animals, Plants and Food Testing Center of Tianjin Exit-Entry Inspection & Quarantine Bureau, Tianjin 300461, China
Min Jin: Department of Environment and Health, Tianjin Institute of Health and Environmental Medicine; Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment and Food Safety, No.1, Dali Road, Tianjin 300050, China
Huaying Li: Tianjin Key Laboratory for Prevention and Control of Occupational and Environmental Hazards, Logistics University of Chinese People’s Armed Police Forces, No. 1, Hui-Zhi Ring Road, Tianjin 300309, China
Weili Liu: Department of Environment and Health, Tianjin Institute of Health and Environmental Medicine; Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment and Food Safety, No.1, Dali Road, Tianjin 300050, China
Jun-Wen Li: Department of Environment and Health, Tianjin Institute of Health and Environmental Medicine; Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment and Food Safety, No.1, Dali Road, Tianjin 300050, China

IJERPH, 2017, vol. 14, issue 6, 1-10

Abstract: Antibiotic failure is occurring worldwide. In a routine surveillance study on antibioticresistance genes (ARGs) in natural water bodies, we noted the detection of colistin-resistance gene mcr-1, previously identified in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from human beings and animals in several countries. The mcr-1 gene might be present in water environments, because aquatic ecosystems are recognized as reservoirs for antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and ARGs. In this study, a qPCR assay was developed to monitor and quantify the mcr-1 gene in the Haihe River, China. The results showed that all 18 samples collected from different locations over 6 months along the Haihe River were positive for the mcr-1 gene, and the highest level of mcr-1 reached 3.81 × 105 gene copies (GC) per liter of water. This is the first study to quantify mcr-1 in a natural water system by qPCR. Our findings highlight the potential for this antibiotic resistance determinant to spread extensively, suggesting a significant health and ecological impact.

Keywords: colistin-resistance gene; mcr-1; water environments; dissemination; public health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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