title: Presence of antibiotic resistance genes in a sewage treatment plant in Thibodaux, Louisiana, USA.
abstract: Increasing uses and disposals of antibiotics to the environment have increased emergence of various antibiotic resistance. One of the sources for the spread of antibiotic resistance is wastewater treatment plant, where bacteria and antibiotics can come in contact and can acquire antibiotics resistance. There are very few studies on this subject from a small town sewage treatment plant. Therefore, this study was conducted using raw sewage as well as treated sewage from a sewage treatment plant in Thibodaux in rural southeast Louisiana in USA. Samples were collected monthly from the Thibodaux sewage treatment plant and the presence of antibiotic resistance genes was monitored. The study showed the presence of antibiotic resistance genes in both raw and treated sewage in every month of the study period. The genetic transformation assay showed the successful transformation of methicillin resistant gene, mecA to an antibiotic sensitive Staphylococcus aureus, which became antibiotic resistant within 24h.
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, LA 70310, USA.
authors: Anthony
authors: A
authors: Naquin
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, LA 70310, USA.
authors: Arsen
authors: A
authors: Shrestha
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, LA 70310, USA.
authors: Mingma
authors: M
authors: Sherpa
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, LA 70310, USA.
authors: Rajkumar
authors: R
authors: Nathaniel
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, LA 70310, USA. Electronic address: Ramaraj.Boopathy@nicholls.edu.
authors: Raj
authors: R
authors: Boopathy
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D057919:Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000737:chemistry; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008145:Louisiana; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012037:Refuse Disposal / Q000379:methods*; D012722:Sewage / Q000382:microbiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D013752:Tetracycline / Q000737:chemistry; D062065:Wastewater / Q000382:microbiology; D014871:Water Microbiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002244:Carbon; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004917:Erythromycin; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D012722:Sewage; D013752:Tetracycline; D062065:Wastewater; C487789:mecA protein, Staphylococcus aureus
keywords: Antibiotic resistance genes; Erythromycin; MRSA; Sewage treatment; Tetracycline