Seasonal disparities and source tracking of airborne antibiotic resistance genes in Handan, China.

The transmission of airborne antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) loaded on particle is a significant global public health concern. Up to date, the dispersal pattern of airborne ARGs remains unclear despite their critical role in multiregional transmission. In this study, airborne ARGs loaded on fine particulate matter (PM) and source tracking based on the airflow trajectories were performed by the potential source contribution function (PSCF) and concentration weighted trajectory (CWT) model.

Rainfall facilitates the transmission and proliferation of antibiotic resistance genes from ambient air to soil.

Antibiotic resistance is common in bacterial communities and appears to be correlated with human activities. However, the source of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) in remote regions remains unclear. In this study, we examined the abundance of ARGs in fine particulate matter (PM) as a carrier throughout the rainfall process (4 mm rain/h) to observe the effects of rainfall on the transmission of ARGs.

Heavy metal copper accelerates the conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes in freshwater microcosms.

Recent studies have consistently demonstrated increasing abundances of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the absence of antibiotic use. There is a large amount of quantitative data that has correlated the elevated ARGs levels with the concentrations of heavy metals in environments with anthropogenic impact. However, the mechanisms by which heavy metals facilitate the proliferation and horizontal gene transfer of ARGs among environmental bacteria were still unknown.