Further Evidence of Anthropogenic Impact: High Levels of Multiple-Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacteria Found in Neritic-Stage Sea Turtles
Background/Objectives: Marine turtles are globally threatened and face daily anthropogenic threats, including pollution. Water pollution from emerging contaminants such as antimicrobials is a major and current environmental concern. Methods: This study investigated the phenotypic antimicrobial resis...
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MDPI AG
2024-10-01
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| author | Ming-An Tsai I-Chun Chen Zeng-Weng Chen Tsung-Hsien Li |
| author_facet | Ming-An Tsai I-Chun Chen Zeng-Weng Chen Tsung-Hsien Li |
| author_sort | Ming-An Tsai |
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| description | Background/Objectives: Marine turtles are globally threatened and face daily anthropogenic threats, including pollution. Water pollution from emerging contaminants such as antimicrobials is a major and current environmental concern. Methods: This study investigated the phenotypic antimicrobial resistance and heavy metal resistance genes of 47 <i>Vibrio</i> isolates from different stages of sea turtles (oceanic stage vs neritic stage) from the Taiwanese coast. Results: The results show that a high proportion (48.9%; 23/47) of the <i>Vibrio</i> species isolated from sea turtles in our study had a multiple antimicrobial resistance (MAR) pattern. It was found that <i>Vibrio</i> spp. isolates with a MAR pattern and those with a MAR index value greater than 0.2 were both more likely to be observed in neritic-stage sea turtles. Furthermore, isolates from neritic-stage sea turtles exhibited greater resistance to the majority of antimicrobials tested (with the exception of beta-lactams and macrolides) than isolates from the oceanic-stage groups. Isolates from neritic sea turtles were found to be more resistant to nitrofurans and aminoglycosides than isolates from oceanic sea turtles. Furthermore, isolates with a MAR pattern (<i>p</i> = 0.010) and those with a MAR index value greater than 0.2 (<i>p</i> = 0.027) were both found to be significantly positively associated with the mercury reductase (<i>merA</i>) gene. Conclusions: The findings of our study indicate that co-selection of heavy metals and antimicrobial resistance may occur in aquatic bacteria in the coastal foraging habitats of sea turtles in Taiwan. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6d5b2d2e7eda43dba9a966f673fb2f54 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2079-6382 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
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| series | Antibiotics |
| spelling | doaj-art-6d5b2d2e7eda43dba9a966f673fb2f542025-08-20T01:53:42ZengMDPI AGAntibiotics2079-63822024-10-01131199810.3390/antibiotics13110998Further Evidence of Anthropogenic Impact: High Levels of Multiple-Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacteria Found in Neritic-Stage Sea TurtlesMing-An Tsai0I-Chun Chen1Zeng-Weng Chen2Tsung-Hsien Li3Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 91201, TaiwanNational Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, Pingtung 94450, TaiwanAnimal Technology Research Center, Agricultural Technology Research Institute, Miaoli 340401, TaiwanNational Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, Pingtung 94450, TaiwanBackground/Objectives: Marine turtles are globally threatened and face daily anthropogenic threats, including pollution. Water pollution from emerging contaminants such as antimicrobials is a major and current environmental concern. Methods: This study investigated the phenotypic antimicrobial resistance and heavy metal resistance genes of 47 <i>Vibrio</i> isolates from different stages of sea turtles (oceanic stage vs neritic stage) from the Taiwanese coast. Results: The results show that a high proportion (48.9%; 23/47) of the <i>Vibrio</i> species isolated from sea turtles in our study had a multiple antimicrobial resistance (MAR) pattern. It was found that <i>Vibrio</i> spp. isolates with a MAR pattern and those with a MAR index value greater than 0.2 were both more likely to be observed in neritic-stage sea turtles. Furthermore, isolates from neritic-stage sea turtles exhibited greater resistance to the majority of antimicrobials tested (with the exception of beta-lactams and macrolides) than isolates from the oceanic-stage groups. Isolates from neritic sea turtles were found to be more resistant to nitrofurans and aminoglycosides than isolates from oceanic sea turtles. Furthermore, isolates with a MAR pattern (<i>p</i> = 0.010) and those with a MAR index value greater than 0.2 (<i>p</i> = 0.027) were both found to be significantly positively associated with the mercury reductase (<i>merA</i>) gene. Conclusions: The findings of our study indicate that co-selection of heavy metals and antimicrobial resistance may occur in aquatic bacteria in the coastal foraging habitats of sea turtles in Taiwan.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/13/11/998antimicrobialsmultiple antibiotic resistance indexturtlesheavy metal resistance genes |
| spellingShingle | Ming-An Tsai I-Chun Chen Zeng-Weng Chen Tsung-Hsien Li Further Evidence of Anthropogenic Impact: High Levels of Multiple-Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacteria Found in Neritic-Stage Sea Turtles Antibiotics antimicrobials multiple antibiotic resistance index turtles heavy metal resistance genes |
| title | Further Evidence of Anthropogenic Impact: High Levels of Multiple-Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacteria Found in Neritic-Stage Sea Turtles |
| title_full | Further Evidence of Anthropogenic Impact: High Levels of Multiple-Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacteria Found in Neritic-Stage Sea Turtles |
| title_fullStr | Further Evidence of Anthropogenic Impact: High Levels of Multiple-Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacteria Found in Neritic-Stage Sea Turtles |
| title_full_unstemmed | Further Evidence of Anthropogenic Impact: High Levels of Multiple-Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacteria Found in Neritic-Stage Sea Turtles |
| title_short | Further Evidence of Anthropogenic Impact: High Levels of Multiple-Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacteria Found in Neritic-Stage Sea Turtles |
| title_sort | further evidence of anthropogenic impact high levels of multiple antimicrobial resistant bacteria found in neritic stage sea turtles |
| topic | antimicrobials multiple antibiotic resistance index turtles heavy metal resistance genes |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/13/11/998 |
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