Traveling abroad may spread destination-specific antimicrobial resistance genes, research results –ScienceDaily

Research teams at Washington University in the United States and Maastricht University in the Netherlands analyzed fecal samples from 190 Dutch travelers before and after their trips to destinations in North and East Africa in the human gut microbiota. We investigated the presence of the antibacterial agent resistance (AMR) gene. , South Asia, Southeast Asia. The gut microbiota contains bacteria and other organisms that live in the human digestive tract. Participants and their samples were taken from a subset of data from a large COMBAT study that AMR is also investigating. The AMR gene, which naturally occurred in bacteria for thousands of years when exposed to antibiotics naturally produced by a small number of environmental bacteria, has been abused by antibiotics in human medicine and animal agriculture. And misuse are accelerating the process. Resistant bacteria do not respond to treatment with resistant antibiotics.

The authors found fecal samples of travelers returning from abroad containing the high-risk AMR gene that is resistant to common and last-line antibiotics (antibiotics used when other antibiotics do not work). , Found that the amount and diversity of AMR genes is increasing. ).

The authors identified the AMR gene in the sample by matching it to a database of known AMR genes using metagenomic sequencing of the faecal microflora. They also identified new AMR genes by testing whether they could acquire new resistance to antibiotics when the samples were added to the E. coli host.

AMR gene diversity in the microbiome was significantly increased in individuals returning from all destinations, with evidence of 56 different AMR genes acquired during travel. This diversity was highest among those who went to Southeast Asia. The genetic diversity of AMR was low among travelers to the same destination. That is, there were more AMR genes in common with each other than travelers from different destinations. This indicates that the traveler has acquired the destination-specific AMR gene.

Detailed genetic analysis has identified high-risk AMR genes that are resistant to common and last-line antibiotics. Six of the 10 high-risk genes identified were present after travel but not before travel. This indicates that they were acquired during the trip. For example, the mcr-1 gene, which confer resistance to colistin, the last resort for infectious diseases such as pneumonia and meningitis, was found only in post-travel samples. This gene was found primarily in the microbiome of travelers to Southeast Asia. Eighteen (34.6%) of the 52 travelers who traveled to destinations in the region carried the gene upon return. This finding indicates that travelers may have acquired the gene at their destination.

Microbiota fecal samples taken prior to travel also contained several AMR genes, and the author acknowledges that they may have spread the AMR gene to destinations visited by travelers. I will. The authors lacked samples from contacts they contacted, so it is unclear how travelers acquired the AMR gene.

Lead author Alaric D’Souza said, “These findings strongly support the risk of traveling abroad spreading antimicrobial resistance to the world. After returning home, the microbiota of travelers is significant. Many of these genes are high-risk AMR genes because they confer resistance to commonly used antibiotics. “

The authors conclude that understanding how the AMR gene spreads from country to country helps to target public health measures to prevent further spread. Future research will allow us to investigate the contacts that travelers interact with during their visits to understand how the AMR gene is transmitted.

“It is imperative to address AMR in low-income countries with high resistivity and low public health funding. This global approach not only helps each country, but also internationally for infectious diseases,” said D’Souza. Reducing the spread may also benefit other countries. Resistivity genes. “

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material Provided by BMC (Biomed Central).. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.