vanA Gene Harboring Enterococcal and Non-enterococcal Isolates Expressing High Level Vancomycin and Teicoplanin Resistance Reservoired in Surface Waters


Nakipoğlu M., Yılmaz F., İçgen B.

BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY, vol.98, pp.712-719, 2017 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 98
  • Publication Date: 2017
  • Doi Number: 10.1007/s00128-016-1955-8
  • Journal Name: BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.712-719
  • Keywords: Vancomycin, Teicoplanin, VanA, D-Alanine-D-lactate ligase, Glycopeptide resistance, Surface waters, ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANCE, PEPTIDOGLYCAN PRECURSORS, WASTE-WATER, FAECIUM, EMERGENCE, POULTRY, STRAINS
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Untreated wastewaters and treated effluents even after final disinfection contain antibiotic resistant bacteria and resistance genes before they are released into surface waters. A correlation between resistant bacteria and antibiotics in surface waters has been found, as have antibiotic resistance genes. Of particular interest are vancomycin-resistant enterococci harboring vanA gene that confers high level of resistance to glycopeptide antibiotics including teicoplanin. Therefore, in this study, river water samples were analysed to investigate vancomycin- and teicoplanin-resistant bacterial isolates harboring vanA gene. Out of 290, 15 surface water isolates displayed resistance to both antibiotics. These glycopeptide resistant enterococcal and non-enterococcal isolates, identified by 16S rRNA sequencing, were found to harbor vanA gene with sequence similarities of 50 % to 100 %. The presence of d-alanine-d-lactate ligase encoded by vanA gene was also shown for all vancomycin- and teicoplanin-resistant isolates through western blot analysis. Due to reuse of treated wastewater and release of untreated wastewaters to water bodies, antibiotic resistant bacteria and resistance genes are being introduced into surface waters and present human health risks. Therefore, surface waters are not only hot spots for vanA harboring enterococcal isolates but also non-enterococcal isolates due to gene dissemination and require special scientific consideration.