Occurrence of toxic metals and their selective pressure for antibiotic-resistant clinically relevant bacteria and antibiotic-resistant genes in river receiving systems under tropical conditions.

ABSTRACT: The co-occurrence of heavy metals, antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) from hospital effluents spreading into the river receiving systems and evaluating associated risks are topics of scientific interest and still under-studied in developing countries under tropical conditions. To understand the selectors of the ARGs, we examined the occurrence of heavy metals (Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Cd, Pb and Zn), associated ARB (β-lactam-resistant Escherichia coli, β-lactam-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae) and ARGs (bla_OXA, bla_CTX-M, bla_IMP, bla_TEM) in water and sediments from two sub-urban rivers receiving urban and hospital effluent waters in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

SUBMITTER: Al Salah DMM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8898216 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature