Environmental factors responsible for the incidence of antibiotic resistance genes in pristine Crassostrea virginica reefs

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2012

Publication Title

Marine Pollution Bulletin

Abstract

The occurrence of tetracycline resistance (TRG) and integrase (INT) genes were monitored in Crassostrea virginica oyster reefs of three pristine creeks (SINERR, Georgia, USA). Their profiles revealed 85% similarity with the TRG/INT profiles observed in the adjacent to the SINERR and contaminated Altamaha River estuary (Barkovskii et al., 2010). The TRG/INT spectra and incidence frequencies corresponded to the source of oceanic input and to run-offs from creeks' watersheds. The highest incidence frequencies and concentrations were observed in oysters. TRG/INT incidences correlated positively (Spearman Rank = 0.88), and negatively correlated (-0.63 to -0.79) with creek salinity, conductivity, dissolved solids, and temperature. Coliform incidence positively correlated with temperature, and not with the TRG/INT incidence. The Altamaha River estuary was the primary TRG/INT source for the reefs with contributions from creek's watersheds. TRG/INT were carried by non-coliforms with a preference for low-to-temperate thermohaline environments coupled with bioaccumulation by oysters.

Department

Biological and Environmental Sciences

Volume Number

64

Issue Number

12

First Page

2692

Last Page

2698

Comments

© 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

DOI

10.1016/j.marpolbul.2012.10.006

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