Aircraft lavatory wastewater surveillance for movement of antimicrobial resistance genes: a proof-of-concept study
ABSTRACT Long-haul flight aircraft wastewater may serve as a representative microbial footprint, often of mixed country origin, offering valuable insight into the movement of pathogens and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) on a global scale. Herein, we present a proof-of-concept for aircraft-based surv...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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American Society for Microbiology
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Microbiology Spectrum |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/spectrum.00569-25 |
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| author | Yawen Liu Wendy J. M. Smith Metasebia Gebrewold Nicholas J. Ashbolt Ishi Keenum Stuart L. Simpson Xinhong Wang Warish Ahmed |
| author_facet | Yawen Liu Wendy J. M. Smith Metasebia Gebrewold Nicholas J. Ashbolt Ishi Keenum Stuart L. Simpson Xinhong Wang Warish Ahmed |
| author_sort | Yawen Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Long-haul flight aircraft wastewater may serve as a representative microbial footprint, often of mixed country origin, offering valuable insight into the movement of pathogens and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) on a global scale. Herein, we present a proof-of-concept for aircraft-based surveillance of AMR by investigating lavatory wastewater samples from 44 repatriation flights to Australia departing from nine countries. Profiles of pathogens including ESKAPE pathogens (Salmonella spp., Mycobacterium spp., Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) (aph(3’)-IIIa, blaNDM-1, blaCTX_M-1, blaKPC, ermB, qnrS, sul1, tetM, and vanA) were investigated along with traditional fecal indicator bacteria (Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp.) and fecal/urine marker genes (Bacteroides HF183, Carjivirus, human polyomavirus, and a cryptic plasmid pBI143) using quantitative PCR (qPCR). Two fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) and four human fecal/urine marker genes were detected in all aircraft wastewater samples. Detection rates for ESKAPE pathogens ranged from 6.8% (S. aureus) to 84.1% (K. pneumoniae). Of all ARG targets, aph(3’)-IIIa, ermB, qnrS, sul1, and tetM were detected in all wastewater samples, whereas blaKPC and vanA were not detected in any of the samples. Results reflected geographic differences in ARG abundance originating from departure countries/continents and suggested a potential risk of importing ARGs that might be rare in local wastewater systems. The loss of nucleic acid targets was less than 10% over a 24 h incubation in the presence of disinfectants, suggesting that nucleic acids are resilient enough to persist in aircraft wastewater over the maximum duration of a flight.IMPORTANCEIn the context of international connectedness, aircraft-based wastewater surveillance should be viewed as a beyond-national tool to enhance global AMR management and foster international cooperation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9c30e4543e374deba048c75f04fc958a |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 2165-0497 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | American Society for Microbiology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Microbiology Spectrum |
| spelling | doaj-art-9c30e4543e374deba048c75f04fc958a2025-07-01T13:03:35ZengAmerican Society for MicrobiologyMicrobiology Spectrum2165-04972025-07-0113710.1128/spectrum.00569-25Aircraft lavatory wastewater surveillance for movement of antimicrobial resistance genes: a proof-of-concept studyYawen Liu0Wendy J. M. Smith1Metasebia Gebrewold2Nicholas J. Ashbolt3Ishi Keenum4Stuart L. Simpson5Xinhong Wang6Warish Ahmed7State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of the Environment & Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, ChinaCSIRO Environment, Ecosciences Precinct, Dutton Park, Queensland, AustraliaCSIRO Environment, Ecosciences Precinct, Dutton Park, Queensland, AustraliaFuture Industries Institute, Cooperative Research Centre for Solving Antimicrobial Resistance in Agribusiness, Foods and Environments, Adelaide University, Mawson Lakes, South Australia, AustraliaDepartment of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan, USACSIRO Environment, Ecosciences Precinct, Dutton Park, Queensland, AustraliaState Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of the Environment & Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, ChinaCSIRO Environment, Ecosciences Precinct, Dutton Park, Queensland, AustraliaABSTRACT Long-haul flight aircraft wastewater may serve as a representative microbial footprint, often of mixed country origin, offering valuable insight into the movement of pathogens and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) on a global scale. Herein, we present a proof-of-concept for aircraft-based surveillance of AMR by investigating lavatory wastewater samples from 44 repatriation flights to Australia departing from nine countries. Profiles of pathogens including ESKAPE pathogens (Salmonella spp., Mycobacterium spp., Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) (aph(3’)-IIIa, blaNDM-1, blaCTX_M-1, blaKPC, ermB, qnrS, sul1, tetM, and vanA) were investigated along with traditional fecal indicator bacteria (Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp.) and fecal/urine marker genes (Bacteroides HF183, Carjivirus, human polyomavirus, and a cryptic plasmid pBI143) using quantitative PCR (qPCR). Two fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) and four human fecal/urine marker genes were detected in all aircraft wastewater samples. Detection rates for ESKAPE pathogens ranged from 6.8% (S. aureus) to 84.1% (K. pneumoniae). Of all ARG targets, aph(3’)-IIIa, ermB, qnrS, sul1, and tetM were detected in all wastewater samples, whereas blaKPC and vanA were not detected in any of the samples. Results reflected geographic differences in ARG abundance originating from departure countries/continents and suggested a potential risk of importing ARGs that might be rare in local wastewater systems. The loss of nucleic acid targets was less than 10% over a 24 h incubation in the presence of disinfectants, suggesting that nucleic acids are resilient enough to persist in aircraft wastewater over the maximum duration of a flight.IMPORTANCEIn the context of international connectedness, aircraft-based wastewater surveillance should be viewed as a beyond-national tool to enhance global AMR management and foster international cooperation.https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/spectrum.00569-25aircraft wastewater surveillanceAMRESKAPE pathogensglobal transmissionARGs, qPCR |
| spellingShingle | Yawen Liu Wendy J. M. Smith Metasebia Gebrewold Nicholas J. Ashbolt Ishi Keenum Stuart L. Simpson Xinhong Wang Warish Ahmed Aircraft lavatory wastewater surveillance for movement of antimicrobial resistance genes: a proof-of-concept study Microbiology Spectrum aircraft wastewater surveillance AMR ESKAPE pathogens global transmission ARGs, qPCR |
| title | Aircraft lavatory wastewater surveillance for movement of antimicrobial resistance genes: a proof-of-concept study |
| title_full | Aircraft lavatory wastewater surveillance for movement of antimicrobial resistance genes: a proof-of-concept study |
| title_fullStr | Aircraft lavatory wastewater surveillance for movement of antimicrobial resistance genes: a proof-of-concept study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Aircraft lavatory wastewater surveillance for movement of antimicrobial resistance genes: a proof-of-concept study |
| title_short | Aircraft lavatory wastewater surveillance for movement of antimicrobial resistance genes: a proof-of-concept study |
| title_sort | aircraft lavatory wastewater surveillance for movement of antimicrobial resistance genes a proof of concept study |
| topic | aircraft wastewater surveillance AMR ESKAPE pathogens global transmission ARGs, qPCR |
| url | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/spectrum.00569-25 |
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