Beta-Lactam Antibiotic Resistance Genes in the Microbiome of the Public Transport System of Quito, Ecuador

Fernanda Hernández-Alomía, Carlos Bastidas-Caldes, Isabel Ballesteros, Gabriela N. Tenea, Pablo Jarrín-V., C. Alfonso Molina and Pablo Castillejo ()
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Fernanda Hernández-Alomía: Grupo de Investigación en Biodiversidad, Medio Ambiente y Salud (BIOMAS), Universidad de Las Américas, Quito 170125, Ecuador
Carlos Bastidas-Caldes: One Health Research Group, Universidad de las Américas, Quito 170125, Ecuador
Isabel Ballesteros: Grupo de Investigación en Biodiversidad, Medio Ambiente y Salud (BIOMAS), Universidad de Las Américas, Quito 170125, Ecuador
Gabriela N. Tenea: Biofood and Nutraceutics Research and Development Group, Faculty of Engineering in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Universidad Técnica del Norte, Ibarra 100150, Ecuador
Pablo Jarrín-V.: Dirección de Innovación, Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad, Quito 170525, Ecuador
C. Alfonso Molina: Instituto de Investigación en Zoonosis (CIZ), Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito 170521, Ecuador
Pablo Castillejo: Grupo de Investigación en Biodiversidad, Medio Ambiente y Salud (BIOMAS), Universidad de Las Américas, Quito 170125, Ecuador

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 3, 1-11

Abstract: Multidrug-resistant bacteria present resistance mechanisms against β-lactam antibiotics, such as Extended-Spectrum Beta-lactamases (ESBL) and Metallo-β-lactamases enzymes (MBLs) which are operon encoded in Gram-negative species. Likewise, Gram-positive bacteria have evolved other mechanisms through mec genes, which encode modified penicillin-binding proteins (PBP2). This study aimed to determine the presence and spread of β-lactam antibiotic resistance genes and the microbiome circulating in Quito’s Public Transport (QTP). A total of 29 station turnstiles were swabbed to extract the surface environmental DNA. PCRs were performed to detect the presence of 13 antibiotic resistance genes and to identify and to amplify 16S rDNA for barcoding, followed by clone analysis, Sanger sequencing, and BLAST search. ESBL genes bla TEM-1 and bla CTX-M-1 and MBL genes bla OXA-181 and mecA were detected along QPT stations, blaTEM being the most widely spread. Two subvariants were found for bla TEM-1 , bla CTX-M-1 , and bla OXA-181 . Almost half of the circulating bacteria found at QPT stations were common human microbiota species, including those classified by the WHO as pathogens of critical and high-priority surveillance. β-lactam antibiotic resistance genes are prevalent throughout QPT. This is the first report of bla OXA-181 in environmental samples in Ecuador. Moreover, we detected a new putative variant of this gene. Some commensal coagulase-negative bacteria may have a role as mecA resistance reservoirs.

Keywords: m ecA; bla TEM-1; bla OXA-181; bla CTX-M-1; environmental-DNA; antibiotic-resistance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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