Hormetic effect of 17α-ethynylestradiol on activated sludge microbial community response.

Synthetic estrogen analogues are among the most potent estrogenic contaminants in effluents from wastewater treatment plants. Although its effects have been well elucidated in the feminization of male fish and interference with the endocrine systems in humans, it has not been fully explored in the activated sludge (AS) microbiome, particularly EE2 (17α-ethynylestradiol). Therefore, in this study, the bacterial community shift in a 6-day laboratory-scale reactor in environmental (0, 5, 10, and 100 ng/L) and predictive elevated concentrations (5, 10, and 100 mg/L) of EE2 was investigated using culture-based and metagenomics approaches.

Prevalence and Molecular Characterisation of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-Producing Shiga Toxin-Producing , from Cattle Farm to Aquatic Environments.

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing bacteria are a major problem for public health worldwide because of limited treatment options. Currently, only limited information is available on ESBL-producing Shiga toxin-producing (STEC) in cattle farms and the surrounding aquatic environment. This study sought to track and characterise ESBL-producing STEC disseminating from a cattle farm into the water environment.

Human-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Clonal Complex 80 Isolated from Cattle and Aquatic Environments.

Background: Human-associated methicillin-resistant (HA-MRSA) has mainly been reported in South African pig and chicken farms. The prevalence of antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs), virulence factors (VFs), and multilocus sequence types (MLSTs) associated with HA-MRSA in cattle farms has not been reported. Consequently, this study characterised LA-MRSA and its spread from cattle farms into the environment.

The potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global antimicrobial and biocide resistance: an AMR Insights global perspective.

The COVID-19 pandemic presents a serious public health challenge in all countries. However, repercussions of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections on future global health are still being investigated, including the pandemic's potential effect on the emergence and spread of global antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Critically ill COVID-19 patients may develop severe complications, which may predispose patients to infection with nosocomial bacterial and/or fungal pathogens, requiring the extensive use of antibiotics.

Cryptosporidium species and subtypes in river water and riverbed sediment using next-generation sequencing.

This study uncovered the prevalence, harboured species, and subtype diversity of Cryptosporidium species in river water and its sediment from the Apies River in South Africa. Cryptosporidium spp. concentrations in freshwater and its sediment were determined using Ziehl-Neelsen staining and quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) techniques.

Shared Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase-Producing Serovars between Agricultural and Aquatic Environments Revealed through Amplicon Sequencing.

The presence of antibiotic-resistant spp. in the environment is of great public health interest, worldwide. Furthermore, its extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing strains constitute an emerging global health concern due to their limited treatment options in hospital.

Multilocus-based phylogenetic analysis of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase Escherichia coli O157:H7 uncovers related strains between agriculture and nearby water sources.

This study aimed to uncover related strains of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase Escherichia coli O157:H7 between agricultural matrices (soil, manure and irrigation water) and nearby water sources using multilocus-based phylogenetic analysis. Resistant and nonresistant E. coli O157:H7 were isolated, identified and characterised using standard microbiological methods.

Environmental Dissemination of Selected Antibiotics from Hospital Wastewater to the Aquatic Environment.

The environmental dissemination of selected antibiotics from hospital wastewater into municipal wastewater and lastly to a receiving water body was investigated. Selected antibiotics (azithromycin (AZM), ciprofloxacin (CIP), clindamycin (CDM), doxycycline (DXC) and sulfamethoxazole (SMZ)) present in effluents of academic hospital wastewater, influents, sewage sludge, and effluents of municipal wastewater, receiving water, and its benthic sediment samples were quantified using the Acquity Waters Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography System hyphenated with a Waters Synapt G2 coupled to a quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The overall results showed that all assessed antibiotics were found in all matrices.

Environmental resistome risks of wastewaters and aquatic environments deciphered by shotgun metagenomic assembly.

In this paper, we deciphered the core resistome disseminating from hospital wastewater to the aquatic environment by characterising the resistome, plasmidome, mobilome and virulome using metagenomic analysis. This study also elucidated different environmental resistome risks using shotgun-metagenomic assembly. The results showed that clinically relevant taxa were found in assessed matrices (Salmonella spp.

Comparative genomics of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp. revealed common resistome determinants from hospital wastewater to aquatic environments.

The rise of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp. (VRE) has led to treatment challenges in hospital settings worldwide. Hospital wastewater (HW) might disseminate this threat to the aquatic environment.

Genome sequence of carbapenem-resistant Citrobacter koseri carrying bla isolated from sewage sludge.

Objectives: This study reported the resistome content of sewage sludge-isolated carbapenem-resistant Citrobacter koseri (C. koseri) carrying bla. It also provided a general phylogenomic analysis highlighting antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), plasmids and pathogenicity of C.

Tracking the environmental dissemination of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae using whole genome sequencing.

The emergence and dissemination of infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) are of great concern worldwide, as there are limited options for their treatment. Thus, in this study, whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was applied to assess CRKP distribution and dissemination from hospital settings to the aquatic environment in order to identify the extent of the problem. Samples were collected from hospital wastewaters and receiving water bodies.

Draft Genome Sequences of Novel Sequence Type 3559 Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolates Recovered from the Environment.

Here, we report a novel sequence type, 3559, from four genomes of isolates from South African hospital wastewater, influent wastewater, river water, and riverbed sediment. The genome annotation indicated a wide variety of resistance genes, including , and virulence factors revealing their possible pathogenicity.

Systematic review in South Africa reveals antibiotic resistance genes shared between clinical and environmental settings.

A systematic review was conducted to determine the distribution and prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB), antimicrobial-resistant genes (ARGs), and antimicrobial-resistant gene determinants (ARGDs) in clinical, environmental, and farm settings and to identify key knowledge gaps in a bid to contain their spread. Fifty-three articles were included. The prevalence of a wide range of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and their genes was reviewed.

Genetic relatedness of faecal coliforms and enterococci bacteria isolated from water and sediments of the Apies River, Gauteng, South Africa.

To date, the microbiological quality of river sediments and its impact on water resources are not included in the water quality monitoring assessment. Therefore, the aim of this study was to establish genetic relatedness between faecal coliforms and enterococci isolated from the river water and riverbed sediments of Apies River to better understand the genetic similarity of microorganisms between the sediment and water phases. Indicator bacteria were subjected to a molecular study, which consisted of PCR amplification and sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA and 23S rRNA gene using specific primers for faecal coliforms and enterococci, respectively.