Influence of Human Eating Habits on Antimicrobial Resistance Phenomenon: Aspects of Clinical Resistome of Gut Microbiota in Omnivores, Ovolactovegetarians, and Strict Vegetarians
Suzane Fernandes da Silva,
Isabela Brito Reis,
Melina Gabriela Monteiro,
Vanessa Cordeiro Dias,
Alessandra Barbosa Ferreira Machado,
Vânia Lúcia da Silva,
Cláudio Galuppo Diniz
Affiliations
Suzane Fernandes da Silva
Laboratory of Bacterial Physiology and Molecular Genetics, Center for Studies in Microbiology, Department of Parasitology, Microbiology and Immunology, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, 36036-330 Juiz de Fora, Brazil
Isabela Brito Reis
Laboratory of Bacterial Physiology and Molecular Genetics, Center for Studies in Microbiology, Department of Parasitology, Microbiology and Immunology, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, 36036-330 Juiz de Fora, Brazil
Melina Gabriela Monteiro
Laboratory of Bacterial Physiology and Molecular Genetics, Center for Studies in Microbiology, Department of Parasitology, Microbiology and Immunology, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, 36036-330 Juiz de Fora, Brazil
Vanessa Cordeiro Dias
Laboratory of Bacterial Physiology and Molecular Genetics, Center for Studies in Microbiology, Department of Parasitology, Microbiology and Immunology, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, 36036-330 Juiz de Fora, Brazil
Alessandra Barbosa Ferreira Machado
Laboratory of Bacterial Physiology and Molecular Genetics, Center for Studies in Microbiology, Department of Parasitology, Microbiology and Immunology, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, 36036-330 Juiz de Fora, Brazil
Vânia Lúcia da Silva
Laboratory of Bacterial Physiology and Molecular Genetics, Center for Studies in Microbiology, Department of Parasitology, Microbiology and Immunology, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, 36036-330 Juiz de Fora, Brazil
Cláudio Galuppo Diniz
Laboratory of Bacterial Physiology and Molecular Genetics, Center for Studies in Microbiology, Department of Parasitology, Microbiology and Immunology, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, 36036-330 Juiz de Fora, Brazil
The use of xenobiotics in food production and how food intake is carried out in different cultures, along with different eating habits (omnivorism (ON), ovolactovegetarianism (VT), and strict vegetarianism (VG)) seem to have implications for antimicrobial resistance, especially in the human gut microbiota. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate aspects of the clinical resistome of the human gut microbiota among healthy individuals with different eating habits. Volunteers were divided into 3 groups: n = 19 omnivores (ON), n = 20 ovolactovegetarians (VT), and n = 19 strict vegetarians (VG), and nutritional and anthropometric parameters were measured. Metagenomic DNA from fecal samples was used as a template for PCR screening of 37 antimicrobial resistance genes (ARG) representative of commonly used agents in human medicine. The correlation between eating habits and ARG was evaluated. There were no significant differences in mean caloric intake. Mean protein intake was significantly higher in ON, and fiber and carbohydrate consumption was higher in VG. From the screened ARG, 22 were detected. No clear relationship between diets and the occurrence of ARG was observed. Resistance genes against tetracyclines, β-lactams, and the MLS group (macrolides, lincosamides, and streptogramins) were the most frequent, followed by resistance genes against sulfonamides and aminoglycosides. Vegetables and minimally processed foods seem to be the main source of ARG for the human gut microbiota. Although eating habits vary among individuals, the open environment and the widespread ARG from different human activities draw attention to the complexity of the antimicrobial resistance phenomenon which should be addressed by a One Health approach.
