Agricultural and urban practices are correlated to changes in the resistome of riverine systems

Abstract

The objective of this study was to comprehensively characterise the resistome, the collective set of antimicrobial resistance genes in a given environment, of two rivers, from their source to discharge into the sea, as these flow through areas of different land use. Our findings reveal significant differences in the riverine resistome composition in areas of different land uses, with increased abundance and diversity of AMR in downstream agricultural and urban locations, with the resistome in urban areas more similar to the resistome in wastewater. The changes in resistome were accompanied by changes in microbial communities, with a reduction in microbial diversity in downstream agricultural and urban affected areas, driven mostly by increased relative abundance in the phyla, Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria. These results provide insight into how pollution associated with agricultural and urban activities affects microbial communities and influences AMR in aquatic water bodies. These results add valuable insights to form effective strategies for mitigating and preserving aquatic ecosystems. Overall, our study highlights the critical role of the environment in the development and dissemination of AMR and underscores the importance of adopting a One Health approach to address this global public health threat.

Keywords: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR); Faecal contamination; Resistome; Rivers; Water quality.