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The Abundance and Diversity of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in the Atmospheric Environment of Biology Laboratories and Surroundings
Jing Wang
Eidgenossische Technische Hochschule Zurich
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2078-137X
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background: Antibiotic resistance genes (ARG) have been considered as a global emerging threat to public health systems. Places including farms and hospitals where antibiotics are used, and wastewater treatment plants and landfills where antibiotics are discharged, have been the hot spots for studies. However, locations where ARGs are directly used, such as biology laboratories have been largely neglected.
Methods: In this study, 11 Swiss biology laboratories working on different fields and located in the city center, suburb and rural area were studied to reveal the abundance and diversity of airborne ARGs in them and their surrounding areas with Colony-forming units (CFU) cultivation and quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR).
Results: Most biology laboratories did not discharge significant amounts or varieties of ARGs and cultivate bacteria via air. No correlation was found between the number of CFUs and the abundance of 16S rRNA, but two clusters of correlated airborne ARGs, the animal husbandry related cluster, and city and hospital related cluster were identified in this study.
Conclusions: Although most biology laboratories may not be the emission sources of variety of airborne ARGs, the ARGs in the animal husbandry related cluster which were abundant in the animal laboratories and aadA1 which was abundant in the laboratories working on other eukaryocyte need to be furtherly studied to make sure if they are potential health risks for the researchers.
Keywords
Bioaerosol, antibiotic resistance gene (ARG), biology lab
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CURRENT STATUS: Under Review
Version 1
Posted 19 Aug, 2020
No community comments so far
Review #1 received
Received 09 Nov, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 21 Oct, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 18 Oct, 2020
Editor assigned
On 17 Aug, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 16 Aug, 2020
Editor invited
On 16 Aug, 2020
First submitted
On 14 Aug, 2020
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Subject Areas
General Microbiology
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This preprint is under consideration at Microbiome. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research
The Abundance and Diversity of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in the Atmospheric Environment of Biology Laboratories and Surroundings
Jing Wang
Eidgenossische Technische Hochschule Zurich
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2078-137X
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Under Review
Version 1
Posted 19 Aug, 2020
No community comments so far
Review #1 received
Received 09 Nov, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 21 Oct, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 18 Oct, 2020
Editor assigned
On 17 Aug, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 16 Aug, 2020
Editor invited
On 16 Aug, 2020
First submitted
On 14 Aug, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
Subject Areas
General Microbiology
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background: Antibiotic resistance genes (ARG) have been considered as a global emerging threat to public health systems. Places including farms and hospitals where antibiotics are used, and wastewater treatment plants and landfills where antibiotics are discharged, have been the hot spots for studies. However, locations where ARGs are directly used, such as biology laboratories have been largely neglected.
Methods: In this study, 11 Swiss biology laboratories working on different fields and located in the city center, suburb and rural area were studied to reveal the abundance and diversity of airborne ARGs in them and their surrounding areas with Colony-forming units (CFU) cultivation and quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR).
Results: Most biology laboratories did not discharge significant amounts or varieties of ARGs and cultivate bacteria via air. No correlation was found between the number of CFUs and the abundance of 16S rRNA, but two clusters of correlated airborne ARGs, the animal husbandry related cluster, and city and hospital related cluster were identified in this study.
Conclusions: Although most biology laboratories may not be the emission sources of variety of airborne ARGs, the ARGs in the animal husbandry related cluster which were abundant in the animal laboratories and aadA1 which was abundant in the laboratories working on other eukaryocyte need to be furtherly studied to make sure if they are potential health risks for the researchers.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6