Ciprofloxacin- and Azithromycin-Resistant Bacteria in a Wastewater Treatment Plant

Details

• Personal Author:
  Boczek L ; Domingo JS ; Huff E ; Maier A ; Niang M ; Reichard JF ; Reponen T ; Talaska G ; Varughese E ; Ying J
• Description:
  The occurrence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) has become an occupational and environmental concern. WWTPs are engineered systems that treat wastewater to meet public health standards before release into the environment. The residuals, as either effluent or solids, are then discharged or beneficially recycled into the environment. Since these wastes contain a diverse array of microorganisms, some of which are resistant to commonly used antibiotics, there is a potential for these organisms to spread in the environment via residual recycling and effluent discharge. Human infections with ARB are increasing, and it is not well known how the interaction between humans and the environment plays a role in this process. WWTP workers, who are on the front lines, may come into direct contact with materials containing these microbes. This study aimed to determine the number of ARB present in both air and sewage sludges in a WWTP using nonselective media supplemented with two antibiotics (ciprofloxacin and azithromycin). The densities of total heterotrophic bacteria, ciprofloxacin-resistant bacteria, and azithromycin-resistant bacteria were 7.82 × 105 - 4.7 × 109, 7.87 × 103 - 1.05 × 108, and 2.27 × 105 - 1.16 × 109 CFU/g, respectively. The prevalence [(concentration on medium with antibiotics/concentration on medium without antibiotics) × 100] of ciprofloxacin-resistant bacteria in treated sludge was twice as low as in digested sludge and approximately three times lower than in raw sludge. For azithromycin, the prevalence of resistant bacteria in treated sludge was about the same in digested and nearly twice lower than in raw sludge. Despite a marked reduction in the mean prevalence of resistant bacteria in dewatered treated sludge for both antibiotics, these differences were not significant. The highest prevalence of antibiotic resistance was observed for azithromycin. Similarly, the prevalence of airborne azithromycin-resistant bacteria inside the belt filter press room (BFPR) was nearly seven times higher than the prevalence of airborne ciprofloxacin-resistant bacteria. These concentrations of ARB were not negligible and may represent an exposure pathway for some workers in WWTPs. Correction https://doi.org/10.1080/15459624.2024.2412485: On page 220 under "Site description", the CFR document number, which is cited twice, is incorrect. The acknowledgments section is also missing text. The CFR document number should be Part 503. The acknowledgments section should include the following statement: The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views or the policies of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Anti-Bacterial Agents Microbiology Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Antibacterial Agents Antibiotics Author Keywords: Antibiotic Bacteria Biosolids Environmental Health Monitoring Microorganisms Prevalence Resistance Sewage Sludge Sewage Treatment Water Supply

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• ISSN:
  1545-9624
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  219-225
• Volume:
  20
• Issue:
  5
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20067643
• Citation:
  J Occup Environ Hyg 2023 May-Jun; 20(5-6):219-225
• Contact Point Address:
  Tiina Reponen, Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, 160 Panzeca Way, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0056
• Email:
  Tiina.Reponen@uc.edu
• CAS Registry Number:
  Azithromycin (CAS RN 83905-01-5) ; Ciprofloxacin (CAS RN 85721-33-1)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2023
• Performing Organization:
  University of Cincinnati
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• End Date:
  20260630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:599dfc6944e7a34c227a45cd81ba88ba95c3d77344a8dc80e0c0d1942fe46e469401d4701c99125396d4b12d2d93055f8aec52f3f41bf11c3586bdc2a332675e
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/229915/cdc_229915_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.21 MB ]