title: Extended-spectrum β-lactamase producing Escherichia coli in hospital wastewaters and sewage treatment plants in Queensland, Australia.
abstract: We investigated the prevalence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli in untreated hospital wastewaters and 2 sewage treatment plants (STPs). A collection of 252 ESBL-producing E. coli isolates from hospital wastewater and STPs were typed and tested for resistance to 17 antimicrobial agents and for the presence of integron-associated integrases (intI gene) and ESBL genes. Eighty-nine percent (n = 176) of the ESBL-producing E. coli strains from hospital wastewater were found in more than 1 sample (common types), with 1 common type accounting for 35% of isolates, found in all samples. These strains were also resistant to up to 9 non-β-lactam antibiotics and showed the same pattern of resistance in all samples. More than 73% of the hospital wastewater isolates possessed SHV-type ESBL as opposed to isolates from STPs that carried only CTX-M-type ESBL genes. The prevalence of the intI gene did not differ between the sources of the isolates. Certain ESBL-producing E. coli were dominant in hospital wastewaters. These strains possessed β-lactamase genes that were different from isolates found in STPs. From a public health point of view, the presence of such a high level of ESBL-producing E. coli strains in hospital wastewaters is of great importance.
authors.affiliation: a GeneCology Research Centre, School of Health and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Science, Health and Education, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore DC 4558, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Aycan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gündoğdu
authors.forename: Amy V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Jennison
authors.forename: Helen V
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stratton
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Katouli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D032023:Integrons / Q000235:genetics; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010641:Phenotype; D015995:Prevalence; D011634:Public Health; D011793:Queensland; D012722:Sewage / Q000382:microbiology; D062065:Wastewater / Q000382:microbiology*; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D012722:Sewage; D062065:Wastewater; D001618:beta-Lactamases