Comparison of culturable antibiotic-resistant bacteria in polluted and non-polluted air in Beijing, China

Yixin Mao; Pei Ding; Youbin Wang; Cheng Ding; Liping Wu; Ping Zheng; Xiao Zhang; Xia Li; Leyao Wang; Zongke Sun

Environment International (Oct 2019)

Comparison of culturable antibiotic-resistant bacteria in polluted and non-polluted air in Beijing, China

Yixin Mao,
Pei Ding,
Youbin Wang,
Cheng Ding,
Liping Wu,
Ping Zheng,
Xiao Zhang,
Xia Li,
Leyao Wang,
Zongke Sun

Affiliations

Yixin Mao: Department of Environmental Microbiology, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100021, China
Pei Ding: Department of Environmental Microbiology, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100021, China
Youbin Wang: Department of Environmental Microbiology, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100021, China
Cheng Ding: Department of Environmental Microbiology, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100021, China
Liping Wu: Department of Environmental Microbiology, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100021, China
Ping Zheng: Department of Environmental Microbiology, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100021, China; Department of Women's, Children's, and Adolescents' Environmental Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100050, China
Xiao Zhang: Department of Environmental Microbiology, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100021, China
Xia Li: Department of Environmental Microbiology, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100021, China
Leyao Wang: School of Medicine, Institute of Public Health, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
Zongke Sun: Department of Environmental Microbiology, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100021, China; Corresponding author.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 131

Abstract

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Background: Air pollution has been a serious health issue in Beijing for years. Airborne antibiotic-resistant bacteria could be a potential health crisis as reserve of antibiotic resistance transmission in environment. The composition and antibiotic resistance pattern of culturable bacterial community and how these are affected by air pollution remain unclear. Objectives: This study aimed to compare the compositions and antibiotic resistance patterns of culturable bacteria in polluted and non-polluted weather conditions in Beijing. Methods: Air samples were collected indoors and outdoors during polluted and non-polluted weather using six-stage Andersen Samplers. For each isolated bacterium, the 16S ribosomal RNA gene was amplified, sequenced, and blasted against the National Center for Biotechnology Information database Antibiotic resistance was conducted by antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Results: Bacterial concentration in polluted weather was significantly higher than in non-polluted weather, both indoors and outdoors (P < 0.05). Gram-positive bacteria (GPB) were dominant in both weathers but gram-negative bacteria (GNB) were more abundant in polluted weather than non-polluted weather both indoors and outdoors. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria occupied 23.7% of all bacterial isolates, 22.4% of isolates from polluted weather and 27.8% of isolates from non-polluted weather. Penicillins were resisted by 72.4% and 83.3% of isolates from polluted and non-polluted weather, respectively. Conclusions: The bacterial concentration was significantly higher in polluted weather, compared to non-polluted weather. Polluted weather is correlated with changes in the bacterial composition in the air, with a greater abundance of GNB. Penicillins was resisted by over 70% of bacterial isolates. The abundance of MDR bacteria suggested potential risks for human health. Keywords: Antibiotic resistance, Atmosphere, Culturable bacteria, Polluted air, Beijing smog, Multidrug-resistant

Published in Environment International

ISSN: 0160-4120 (Print)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Geography. Anthropology. Recreation: Environmental sciences
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/environment-international

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