blaTEM and vanA as indicator genes of antibiotic resistance contamination in a hospital–urban wastewater treatment plant system

Four indicator genes were monitored by quantitative PCR in hospital effluent (HE) and in the raw and treated wastewater of the municipal wastewater treatment plant receiving the hospital discharge. The indicator genes were the class 1 integrase gene intI1, to assess the capacity of bacteria to be involved in horizontal gene transfer processes; blaTEM, one of the most widespread antibiotic resistance genes in the environment, associated with Enterobacteriaceae; vanA, an antibiotic resistance gene uncommon in the environment and frequent in clinical isolates; and marA, part of a locus related to the stress response in Enterobacteriaceae. Variation in the abundance of these genes was analysed as a function of the type of water, and possible correlations with cultivable bacteria, antimicrobial residue concentrations, and bacterial community composition and structure were analysed. HE was confirmed as an important source of blaTEM and vanA genes, and wastewater treatment showed a limited capacity to remove these resistance genes. The genes blaTEM and vanA presented the strongest correlations with culturable bacteria, antimicrobial residues and some bacterial populations, representing interesting candidates as indicator genes to monitor resistance in environmental samples. The intI1 gene was the most abundant in all samples, demonstrating that wastewater bacterial populations hold a high potential for gene acquisitioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Sustained virological response to treatment of chronic hepatitis C with peginterferon alfa and ribavirin

This study aimed to evaluate the rate of sustained virological response (SVR) and the clinical and treatment characteristics of patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). A retrospective uncontrolled cohort study was conducted among patients who received treatment for CHC between 2005 and 2008 attended at the Center for the Application and Monitoring of Injectable Medications, in Florianopolis, SC, Brazil. The inclusion criteria were: patients over 18 years of age, with a confirmed diagnosis of chronic hepatitis C according to Brazilian guidelines, treated with PEG-IFN alfa-2a or 2b associated with RBV. A total of 188 patients were included in the study: 70% men, 59% genotype 1, 27% coinfected with HIV, 31% with cirrhosis. The SVR rate, calculated by probability theory, was determined as 26% (max=57.4% and min=12.8%) and the intention to treat was 12.8%. Associations between Sustained Virological Response (SVR) and the variables sex (p=0.017), age (p=0.003), genotype (p=0.648) and cirrhosis (p=0.275), were determined in the bivariate analysis and only sex and age were significantly associated with SVR. The SVR rate was considered low, which can be partially explained by patients' unfavorable pretreatment characteristics.O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar a taxa de resposta viral sustentada (RVS) e as características clínicas e do tratamento dos pacientes portadores de hepatite C crônica. Realizou-se uma coorte retrospectiva não controlada com recorte temporal dos anos de 2005 a 2008, dos pacientes atendidos no Polo de Aplicação e Monitoramento de Medicamentos Injetáveis, em Florianópolis, SC. Os critérios de inclusão foram: pacientes maiores de 18 anos, com diagnóstico confirmado de hepatite C crônica de acordo com o protocolo brasileiro, tratados com PEG-IFN alfa-2a ou 2b associado a ribavirina. Total de 188 pacientes foi incluído no estudo, 70% homens, 59% genótipo 1, 27% co-infectados com o HIV e 31% apresentando cirrose. A taxa de RVS calculada através da teoria das probabilidades foi de 26% (max=57,4% and min=12,8%) e por intenção de tratamento de 12,8%. Verificou-se a associação da RVS com as variáveis: sexo (p=0,017), idade (p=0,003), genótipo (p=0,648) e presença de cirrose (p=0,275). Somente sexo e idade foram associados significativamente com a RVS. A taxa de RVS foi considerada baixa e, em parte, pode ser explicada pelas características desfavoráveis dos pacientes para a obtenção de RVS

Hydromonas duriensis gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from freshwater

An aerobic, Gram-stain-negative rod, designated strain A2P5T , was isolated from the Douro river, in Porto, Portugal. Cells were catalase- and oxidase-positive. Growth occurred at15–30 8C, at pH 6–8 and in the presence of 1 % (w/v) NaCl. The major respiratory quinone was Q8, the genomic DNA had a G+C content of 47¡1 mol%, and phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and diphosphatidylglycerol were amongst the major polar lipids. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain A2P5T was observed to be a member of the family Burkholderiaceae, but could not be identified as a member of any validly named genus. The low levels of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to other recognized taxa (,91 %), together with the comparative analysis of phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics, supported the proposal of a novel species of a new genus within the family Burkholderiaceae. The name Hydromonas duriensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Hydromonas duriensis is A2P5T (5LMG 28428T 5CCUG 66137T).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Oryzisolibacter propanilivorax gen. nov., sp. nov., a propanil-degrading bacterium

Strain EPL6(T), a Gram-negative, motile, short rod was isolated from a propanil and 3,4-dichloroaniline enrichment culture produced from rice paddy soil. Based on the analyses of the 16S rRNA gene sequence, strain EPL6(T) was observed to be a member of the family Comamonadaceae, sharing the highest pairwise identity with type strains of the species Alicycliphilus denitrificans K601(T) (96.8 %) and Melaminivora alkalimesophila CY1(T) (96.8 %). Strain EPL6(T) was able to grow in a temperature range of 15-37 degrees C, pH 6-9 and in the presence of up to 4% (w/v) NaCl and tested positive for catalase and oxidase reactions. The major respiratory quinone was Q8. The genomic DNA had a G+C content of 69.4 +/- 0.9 mol%. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and diphosphatidylglycerol, and the major fatty acid methyl esters comprised C-16 : 0, C-18 : 1 omega 7c and summed feature 3 (C-16 : 1 omega 7c/iso-C-15 : 0 2-OH). Comparison of the genome sequence of strain EPL6(T) and of its closest neighbours, Melaminivora alkalimesophila CY1(T) and Alicycliphilus denitrificans K601(T), yielded values of ANI <= 84.1% and of AAI <= 80.3 %. Therefore, the genetic, phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics support the classification of this organism into a new taxon. Considering the genetic divergence of strain EPL6(T) from the type strains of the closest species, which belong to distinct genera, we propose a new genus within the family Comamonadaceae, named Oryzisolibacter propanilivorax gen. nov., sp. nov., represented by the isolate EPL6(T) as the type strain of the species (=LMG 28427(T)=CECT 8927(T))

Low temperature sulfonation of acai stone biomass derived carbons as acid catalysts for esterification reactions

MCTIC - MINISTÉRIO DA CIÊNCIA, TECNOLOGIA, INOVAÇÕES E COMUNICAÇÕESCNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOHeterogeneous acid catalysts derived from acai stone (Euterpe oleracea Mart), a large-scale residue biomass, were synthesized by partial carbonization followed by sulfonation within a short preparation time under controllable conditions. Their catalytic activity was tested in the esterification reaction of oleic acid with alcohols, with varying chain-lengths, and with a modified edible oil with high fatty acid content. The sulfonated carbon materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy coupled with an EDS system for elemental mapping (SEM-EDS), thermogravimetry (TG), infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), low-temperature N-2 sorption, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The reaction conditions and catalyst preparation were systematically investigated with respect to carbonization and sulfonation temperatures, reaction temperature and time, reactants' molar ratio, catalyst loading, alcohol type, and recyclability. A low carbonization temperature created carbon materials with surface features that favored the anchoring of sulfonic groups, in turn providing desirable sulfonation under mild temperatures. After optimization of the reaction conditions, a yield of 93% was obtained when 5% catalyst loading was used to convert a 1:12 oleic acid to methanol molar ratio at 100 degrees C for 1 h. Comparatively, the uncatalyzed reaction yielded only 11% conversion. The sulfonated carbon catalyst was tested in the esterification of soybean oil that was modified with 20% oleic acid to reduce the quality of feedstock and simulate harsh conditions; the catalyzed reaction showed yields up to 80%. Moreover, the synthesized catalyst was stable for up to three reaction cycles, displaying a decrease in efficiency of only 8%. This study shows promising results for obtaining sulfonated carbon catalysts from acai stone biomass, thereby potentially solving one of the major environmental problems in the Amazon region and providing a sustainable alternative for fuel production.196821830MCTIC - MINISTÉRIO DA CIÊNCIA, TECNOLOGIA, INOVAÇÕES E COMUNICAÇÕESCNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOMCTIC - MINISTÉRIO DA CIÊNCIA, TECNOLOGIA, INOVAÇÕES E COMUNICAÇÕESCNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOPJD N 6.04425522/2018-

Solar treatment (H2O2, TiO2-P25 and GO-TiO2 photocatalysis, photo-Fenton) of organic micropollutants, human pathogen indicators, antibiotic resistant bacteria and related genes in urban wastewater

Solar-driven advanced oxidation processes were studied in a pilot-scale photoreactor, as tertiary treatments of effluents from an urban wastewater treatment plant. Solar-H2O2, heterogeneous photocatalysis (with and/or without the addition of H2O2 and employing three different photocatalysts) and the photo-Fenton process were investigated. Chemical sulfamethoxazole, carbamazepine, and diclofenac) and biological contaminants (faecal contamination indicators, their antibiotic resistant counterparts, 16S rRNA and antibiotic resistance genes), as well as the whole bacterial community, were characterized. Heterogeneous photocatalysis using TiO2-P25 and assisted with H2O2 (P25/H2O2) was the most efficient process on the degradation of the chemical organic micropollutants, attaining levels below the limits of quantification in less than 4 h of treatment (corresponding to QUV < 40 kJ L 1). This performance was followed by the same process without H2O2, using TiO2-P25 or a composite material based on graphene oxide and TiO2. Regarding the biological indicators, total faecal coliforms and enterococci and their antibiotic resistant (tetracycline and ciprofloxacin) counterparts were reduced to values close, or beneath, the detection limit (1 CFU 100mL 1) for all treatments employing H2O2, even upon storage of the treated wastewater for 3-days. Moreover, P25/H2O2 and solar-H2O2 were the most efficient processes in the reduction of the lysed genes. However, this reduction was transient for 16S rRNA, intI1 and sul1 genes, since after 3-days storage of the treated wastewater their abundance increased to values close to pre-treatment levels. Similar behaviour was observed for the genes qnrS (using TiO2-P25), blaCTX-M and blaTEM (using TiO2-P25 and TiO2-P25/H2O2). Interestingly, higher proportions of sequence reads affiliated to the phylum Proteobacteria (Beta- and Gammaproteobacteria) were found after 3-days storage of treated wastewater than before its treatment. Members of the genera Pseudomonas, Rheinheimera and Methylotenera were among those with overgrowth.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Antibiotic resistance in European wastewater treatment plants mirrors the pattern of clinical antibiotic resistance prevalence

Integrated antibiotic resistance (AR) surveillance is one of the objectives of the World Health Organization global action plan on antimicrobial resistance. Urban wastewater treatment plants (UWTPs) are among the most important receptors and sources of environmental AR. On the basis of the consistent observation of an increasing north-to-south clinical AR prevalence in Europe, this study compared the influent and final effluent of 12 UWTPs located in seven countries (Portugal, Spain, Ireland, Cyprus, Germany, Finland, and Norway). Using highly parallel quantitative polymerase chain reaction, we analyzed 229 resistance genes and 25 mobile genetic elements. This first trans-Europe surveillance showed that UWTP AR profiles mirror the AR gradient observed in clinics. Antibiotic use, environmental temperature, and UWTP size were important factors related with resistance persistence and spread in the environment. These results highlight the need to implement regular surveillance and control measures, which may need to be appropriate for the geographic regions.This work was financed by the Water JPI through the national funding agencies supporting the consortium WaterJPI/0001/2013 STARE—“Stopping Antibiotic Resistance Evolution” (Cyprus, RPF; Germany, BMBF; Spain, MINECO; Finland, AKA; Ireland, EPA; Norway, RCN; Portugal, FCT). I.V.-M. was supported by the FCT grant SFRH/BPD/87360/2012, C.N.-d.-R. by the FCT grant SFRH/BD/97131/2013, and I.H. by the FCT contract IF/00492/2013. Other funders: A grant from the Michigan State University Center for Health Impacts of Agriculture (CHIA) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21677149)