What are antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and why are they a concern in tap water?

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are genetic elements that allow bacteria to survive exposure to antibiotics. Their presence in tap water is a significant public health concern because they can disseminate antibiotic resistance, potentially promoting the transmission of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) within drinking water systems. This can lead to less effective treatments for bacterial infections.

How prevalent are antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in tap water?

A study in Tianjin, China, detected 14 types of extracellular ARGs (eARGs) in tap water, with concentrations reaching 1.3 × 10^5 gene copies per liter. TetC was found in 66.7% of samples, while 15 types of intracellular ARGs (iARGs), including sul1 and sul2, were continuously detected. This indicates widespread presence, highlighting the need for robust purification.

Do antibiotic resistance gene levels in tap water change throughout the year?

Yes, the study observed a distinct seasonal pattern for both intracellular and extracellular antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in tap water. Concentrations were most abundant during the summer months. This fluctuation underscores the dynamic nature of water quality and the continuous challenge of maintaining purity.

What are the potential health risks of antibiotic resistance genes in drinking water?

The presence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in drinking water systems poses a potential risk to human public health. These genes can facilitate the spread of antibiotic resistance among bacteria, making infections harder to treat. This contributes to the global challenge of antimicrobial resistance, impacting the efficacy of medical treatments.

How can advanced water purification systems address antibiotic resistance genes in drinking water?

Advanced water purification systems, particularly those utilizing reverse osmosis (RO), ultrafiltration, and UV sterilization, are highly effective at removing contaminants like antibiotic resistance genes. AMPAC USA's commercial and industrial RO systems are engineered to produce potable water meeting EPA and WHO standards, even from challenging sources. With over 30 years of experience, our solutions provide reliable protection against emerging waterborne threats.

Profiling of intracellular and extracellular antibiotic resistance genes in tap water

Sammy FaragAMPAC USA — May 27, 2019

Profiling of intracellular and extracellular antibiotic resistance genes in tap water

By Sammy Farag . May 27, 2019

HanHao^a¹ Dan-yangShi^b¹ DongYang^b Zhong-weiYang^b Zhi-gangQiu^b Wei-liLiu^b Zhi-qiangShen^b JingYin^b Hua-ranWang^b Jun-wenLi^b HuiWang^a MinJin^b\\n

Abstract

\\n

Antibiotic resistance genes, or ARGs, are a big deal globally because they threaten public health. These genes can spread antibiotic resistance even when they’re “free-living” in nature, helping resistant bacteria move into our drinking water systems. But here’s the kicker: we haven’t really looked into how much eARG pollution is in our tap water. So, we spent a year checking tap water samples from Tianjin, China, for both eARGs (extracellular ARGs) and iARGs (intracellular ARGs).

\\n

What did we find? We saw fourteen types of eARGs, with the highest concentration hitting 1.3 x 10⁵ gene copies (GC)/L. We found TetC in 66.7% of samples. Then came sul1, sul2, and qnrA, each showing up in 41.7% of samples. For iARGs, we found fifteen types, including tetA, tetB, tetM, tetQ, tetX, sul1, sul2, sul3, ermB, blaTEM, and qnrA. These were consistently in all tap water samples we collected, with sul1 and sul2 being the most common.

\\n

Interestingly, both eARG and iARG levels in tap water followed a seasonal pattern. They were most common in the summer. We also noticed a strong link between the amount of intracellular sulfonamide resistance genes and total nitrogen levels. This study really points out that eARG and iARG pollution in our drinking water systems could be a serious risk to everyone’s health.

\\nhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304389418310239?via%3Dihub\\n\\n

\\nThe post Profiling of intracellular and extracellular antibiotic resistance genes in tap water appeared first on Facts About Water.\\n\\nSource: Water Feed