Emergence of Carbapenemase Genes in Gram-Negative Bacteria Isolated from the Wastewater Treatment Plant in A Coruña, Spain
Mohammed Nasser-Ali,
Pablo Aja-Macaya,
Kelly Conde-Pérez,
Noelia Trigo-Tasende,
Soraya Rumbo-Feal,
Ana Fernández-González,
Germán Bou,
Margarita Poza,
Juan A. Vallejo
Affiliations
Mohammed Nasser-Ali
Microbiology Research Group, Institute of Biomedical Research (INIBIC)-University Hospital of A Coruña (CHUAC)-Interdisciplinary Center for Chemistry and Biology (CICA)-University of A Coruña (UDC)-CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII). Servicio de Microbiología, 3° planta, Edificio Sur, Hospital Universitario, As Xubias, 15006 A Coruna, Spain
Pablo Aja-Macaya
Microbiology Research Group, Institute of Biomedical Research (INIBIC)-University Hospital of A Coruña (CHUAC)-Interdisciplinary Center for Chemistry and Biology (CICA)-University of A Coruña (UDC)-CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII). Servicio de Microbiología, 3° planta, Edificio Sur, Hospital Universitario, As Xubias, 15006 A Coruna, Spain
Kelly Conde-Pérez
Microbiology Research Group, Institute of Biomedical Research (INIBIC)-University Hospital of A Coruña (CHUAC)-Interdisciplinary Center for Chemistry and Biology (CICA)-University of A Coruña (UDC)-CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII). Servicio de Microbiología, 3° planta, Edificio Sur, Hospital Universitario, As Xubias, 15006 A Coruna, Spain
Noelia Trigo-Tasende
Microbiology Research Group, Institute of Biomedical Research (INIBIC)-University Hospital of A Coruña (CHUAC)-Interdisciplinary Center for Chemistry and Biology (CICA)-University of A Coruña (UDC)-CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII). Servicio de Microbiología, 3° planta, Edificio Sur, Hospital Universitario, As Xubias, 15006 A Coruna, Spain
Soraya Rumbo-Feal
Microbiology Research Group, Institute of Biomedical Research (INIBIC)-University Hospital of A Coruña (CHUAC)-Interdisciplinary Center for Chemistry and Biology (CICA)-University of A Coruña (UDC)-CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII). Servicio de Microbiología, 3° planta, Edificio Sur, Hospital Universitario, As Xubias, 15006 A Coruna, Spain
Ana Fernández-González
Microbiology Research Group, Institute of Biomedical Research (INIBIC)-University Hospital of A Coruña (CHUAC)-Interdisciplinary Center for Chemistry and Biology (CICA)-University of A Coruña (UDC)-CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII). Servicio de Microbiología, 3° planta, Edificio Sur, Hospital Universitario, As Xubias, 15006 A Coruna, Spain
Germán Bou
Microbiology Research Group, Institute of Biomedical Research (INIBIC)-University Hospital of A Coruña (CHUAC)-Interdisciplinary Center for Chemistry and Biology (CICA)-University of A Coruña (UDC)-CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII). Servicio de Microbiología, 3° planta, Edificio Sur, Hospital Universitario, As Xubias, 15006 A Coruna, Spain
Margarita Poza
Microbiology Research Group, Institute of Biomedical Research (INIBIC)-University Hospital of A Coruña (CHUAC)-Interdisciplinary Center for Chemistry and Biology (CICA)-University of A Coruña (UDC)-CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII). Servicio de Microbiología, 3° planta, Edificio Sur, Hospital Universitario, As Xubias, 15006 A Coruna, Spain
Juan A. Vallejo
Microbiology Research Group, Institute of Biomedical Research (INIBIC)-University Hospital of A Coruña (CHUAC)-Interdisciplinary Center for Chemistry and Biology (CICA)-University of A Coruña (UDC)-CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII). Servicio de Microbiología, 3° planta, Edificio Sur, Hospital Universitario, As Xubias, 15006 A Coruna, Spain
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are recognized as important niches of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can be easily spread to the environment. In this study, we collected wastewater samples from the WWTP of A Coruña (NW Spain) from April 2020 to February 2022 to evaluate the presence of Gram-negative bacteria harboring carbapenemase genes. Bacteria isolated from wastewater were classified and their antimicrobial profiles were determined. In total, 252 Gram-negative bacteria carrying various carbapenemase genes were described. Whole-genome sequencing was conducted on 55 selected carbapenemase producing isolates using Oxford Nanopore technology. This study revealed the presence of a significant population of bacteria carrying carbapenemase genes in WWTP, which constitutes a public health problem due to their risk of dissemination to the environment. This emphasizes the usefulness of WWTP monitoring for combating antibiotic resistance. Data revealed the presence of different types of sequences harboring carbapenemase genes, such as blaKPC-2, blaGES-5, blaGES-6, blaIMP-11, blaIMP-28, blaOXA-24, blaOXA-48, blaOXA-58, blaOXA-217, and blaVIM-2. Importantly, the presence of the blaKPC-2 gene in wastewater, several months before any clinical case was detected in University Hospital of A Coruña, suggests that wastewater-based epidemiology can be used as an early warning system for the surveillance of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
