A workflow for the detection of antibiotic residues, measurement of water chemistry and preservation of hospital sink drain samples for metagenomic sequencing.
Hospital sinks
antibiotic residues
antimicrobial resistance
water chemistry
Journal
The Journal of hospital infection
ISSN: 1532-2939
Titre abrégé: J Hosp Infect
Pays: England
ID NLM: 8007166
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
23 Dec 2023
23 Dec 2023
Historique:
received:
27
09
2023
revised:
27
11
2023
accepted:
30
11
2023
medline:
26
12
2023
pubmed:
26
12
2023
entrez:
25
12
2023
Statut:
aheadofprint
Résumé
Hospital sinks are environmental reservoirs that harbour healthcare-associated (HCA) pathogens. Selective pressures in sink environments, such as antibiotic residues, nutrient waste and hardness ions, may promote antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) exchange between bacteria. However, cheap and accurate sampling methods to characterise these factors are lacking. To validate a workflow to detect antibiotic residues and evaluate water chemistry using dipsticks. Secondarily, to validate boric acid to preserve the taxonomic and ARG ("resistome") composition of sink trap samples for metagenomic sequencing. Antibiotic residue dipsticks were validated against serial dilutions of ampicillin, doxycycline, sulfamethoxazole and ciprofloxacin, and water chemistry dipsticks against serial dilutions of chemical calibration standards. Sink trap aspirates were used for a "real-world" pilot evaluation of dipsticks. To assess boric acid as a preservative of microbial diversity, the impact of incubation with and without boric acid at ∼22°C on metagenomic sequencing outputs was evaluated at Day 2 and Day 5 compared with baseline (Day 0). The limits of detection for each antibiotic were: 3μg/L (ampicillin), 10μg/L (doxycycline), 20μg/L (sulfamethoxazole) and 8μg/L (ciprofloxacin). The best performing water chemistry dipstick correctly characterised 34/40 (85%) standards in a concentration-dependent manner. One trap sample tested positive for the presence of tetracyclines and sulfonamides. Taxonomic and resistome composition were largely maintained after storage with boric acid at ∼22°C for up to five days. Dipsticks can be used to detect antibiotic residues and characterise water chemistry in sink trap samples. Boric acid was an effective preservative of trap sample composition, representing a low-cost alternative to cold-chain transport.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Hospital sinks are environmental reservoirs that harbour healthcare-associated (HCA) pathogens. Selective pressures in sink environments, such as antibiotic residues, nutrient waste and hardness ions, may promote antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) exchange between bacteria. However, cheap and accurate sampling methods to characterise these factors are lacking.
AIM
OBJECTIVE
To validate a workflow to detect antibiotic residues and evaluate water chemistry using dipsticks. Secondarily, to validate boric acid to preserve the taxonomic and ARG ("resistome") composition of sink trap samples for metagenomic sequencing.
METHODS
METHODS
Antibiotic residue dipsticks were validated against serial dilutions of ampicillin, doxycycline, sulfamethoxazole and ciprofloxacin, and water chemistry dipsticks against serial dilutions of chemical calibration standards. Sink trap aspirates were used for a "real-world" pilot evaluation of dipsticks. To assess boric acid as a preservative of microbial diversity, the impact of incubation with and without boric acid at ∼22°C on metagenomic sequencing outputs was evaluated at Day 2 and Day 5 compared with baseline (Day 0).
FINDINGS
RESULTS
The limits of detection for each antibiotic were: 3μg/L (ampicillin), 10μg/L (doxycycline), 20μg/L (sulfamethoxazole) and 8μg/L (ciprofloxacin). The best performing water chemistry dipstick correctly characterised 34/40 (85%) standards in a concentration-dependent manner. One trap sample tested positive for the presence of tetracyclines and sulfonamides. Taxonomic and resistome composition were largely maintained after storage with boric acid at ∼22°C for up to five days.
CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
Dipsticks can be used to detect antibiotic residues and characterise water chemistry in sink trap samples. Boric acid was an effective preservative of trap sample composition, representing a low-cost alternative to cold-chain transport.
Identifiants
pubmed: 38145816
pii: S0195-6701(23)00410-3
doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2023.11.021
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
Declaration of Competing Interest All authors declare no conflict of interest in this study.