Vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE) in Swedish sewage sludge
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Antimicrobial resistance is a serious threat in veterinary medicine and human healthcare. Resistance genes can spread from animals, through the food-chain, and back to humans. Sewage sludge may act as the link back from humans to ani...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2009-05-01
|
| Series: | Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica |
| Online Access: | http://www.actavetscand.com/content/51/1/24 |
| _version_ | 1811297724929146880 |
|---|---|
| author | Aspan Anna Albihn Ann Rehbinder Verena Sahlström Leena Bengtsson Björn |
| author_facet | Aspan Anna Albihn Ann Rehbinder Verena Sahlström Leena Bengtsson Björn |
| author_sort | Aspan Anna |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Antimicrobial resistance is a serious threat in veterinary medicine and human healthcare. Resistance genes can spread from animals, through the food-chain, and back to humans. Sewage sludge may act as the link back from humans to animals. The main aims of this study were to investigate the occurrence of vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE) in treated sewage sludge, in a Swedish waste water treatment plant (WWTP), and to compare VRE isolates from sewage sludge with isolates from humans and chickens.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>During a four month long study, sewage sludge was collected weekly and cultured for VRE. The VRE isolates from sewage sludge were analysed and compared to each other and to human and chicken VRE isolates by biochemical typing (PhenePlate), PFGE and antibiograms.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Biochemical typing (PhenePlate-FS) and pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) revealed prevalence of specific VRE strains in sewage sludge for up to 16 weeks. No connection was found between the VRE strains isolated from sludge, chickens and humans, indicating that human VRE did not originate from Swedish chicken.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study demonstrated widespread occurrence of VRE in sewage sludge in the studied WWTP. This implies a risk of antimicrobial resistance being spread to new farms and to the society via the environment if the sewage sludge is used on arable land.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T06:08:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ff114d1c6c744e1f9c7b28818d0d126c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1751-0147 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T06:08:28Z |
| publishDate | 2009-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica |
| spelling | doaj.art-ff114d1c6c744e1f9c7b28818d0d126c2022-12-22T02:59:09ZengBMCActa Veterinaria Scandinavica1751-01472009-05-015112410.1186/1751-0147-51-24Vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE) in Swedish sewage sludgeAspan AnnaAlbihn AnnRehbinder VerenaSahlström LeenaBengtsson Björn<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Antimicrobial resistance is a serious threat in veterinary medicine and human healthcare. Resistance genes can spread from animals, through the food-chain, and back to humans. Sewage sludge may act as the link back from humans to animals. The main aims of this study were to investigate the occurrence of vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE) in treated sewage sludge, in a Swedish waste water treatment plant (WWTP), and to compare VRE isolates from sewage sludge with isolates from humans and chickens.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>During a four month long study, sewage sludge was collected weekly and cultured for VRE. The VRE isolates from sewage sludge were analysed and compared to each other and to human and chicken VRE isolates by biochemical typing (PhenePlate), PFGE and antibiograms.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Biochemical typing (PhenePlate-FS) and pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) revealed prevalence of specific VRE strains in sewage sludge for up to 16 weeks. No connection was found between the VRE strains isolated from sludge, chickens and humans, indicating that human VRE did not originate from Swedish chicken.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study demonstrated widespread occurrence of VRE in sewage sludge in the studied WWTP. This implies a risk of antimicrobial resistance being spread to new farms and to the society via the environment if the sewage sludge is used on arable land.</p>http://www.actavetscand.com/content/51/1/24 |
| spellingShingle | Aspan Anna Albihn Ann Rehbinder Verena Sahlström Leena Bengtsson Björn Vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE) in Swedish sewage sludge Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica |
| title | Vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE) in Swedish sewage sludge |
| title_full | Vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE) in Swedish sewage sludge |
| title_fullStr | Vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE) in Swedish sewage sludge |
| title_full_unstemmed | Vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE) in Swedish sewage sludge |
| title_short | Vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE) in Swedish sewage sludge |
| title_sort | vancomycin resistant enterococci vre in swedish sewage sludge |
| url | http://www.actavetscand.com/content/51/1/24 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT aspananna vancomycinresistantenterococcivreinswedishsewagesludge AT albihnann vancomycinresistantenterococcivreinswedishsewagesludge AT rehbinderverena vancomycinresistantenterococcivreinswedishsewagesludge AT sahlstromleena vancomycinresistantenterococcivreinswedishsewagesludge AT bengtssonbjorn vancomycinresistantenterococcivreinswedishsewagesludge |