Monitoring Antibiotic Resistance in Wastewater: Findings from Three Treatment Plants in Sicily, Italy

Roberta Magnano San Lio, Andrea Maugeri, Martina Barchitta, Giuliana Favara, Maria Clara La Rosa, Claudia La Mastra and Antonella Agodi ()
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Roberta Magnano San Lio: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies “GF Ingrassia”, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Andrea Maugeri: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies “GF Ingrassia”, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Martina Barchitta: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies “GF Ingrassia”, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Giuliana Favara: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies “GF Ingrassia”, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Maria Clara La Rosa: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies “GF Ingrassia”, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Claudia La Mastra: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies “GF Ingrassia”, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Antonella Agodi: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies “GF Ingrassia”, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 3, 1-14

Abstract: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a global public health threat. Wastewater analysis provides valuable insights into antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), identifying sources and trends and evaluating AMR control measures. Between February 2022 and March 2023, pre-treatment urban wastewater samples were collected weekly from treatment plants in Pantano D’Arci, Siracusa, and Giarre (Sicily, Italy). Monthly composite DNA extracts were prepared by combining weekly subsamples from each site, yielding 42 composite samples—14 from each treatment plant. Real-time PCR analysis targeted specific ARGs, including bla SHV, erm(A) , erm(B) , bla OXA, bla NDM, bla VIM, bla TEM, and bla CTX-M. The preliminary findings revealed that bla ERM-B, bla OXA, bla TEM, and bla CTX-M were present in all samples, with erm(B) (median value: 8.51; range: 1.67–30.93), bla SHV (0.78; 0.00–6.36), and bla TEM (0.72; 0.34–4.30) showing the highest relative abundance. These results underscore the importance of integrating ARG data with broader research to understand the persistence and proliferation mechanisms of ARGs in wastewater environments. Future studies should employ metagenomic analyses to profile resistomes in urban, hospital, agricultural, and farm wastewater. Comparing these profiles will help identify contamination pathways and inform the development of targeted ARG surveillance programs. Monitoring shifts in ARG abundance could signal cross-sectoral contamination, enabling more effective AMR control strategies.

Keywords: epidemiology; public health; surveillance; antimicrobial resistance; wastewater (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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