A Review of Antibiotics, Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria, and Resistance Genes in Aquaculture: Occurrence, Contamination, and Transmission

Abstract

Antibiotics are commonly used to prevent and control diseases in aquaculture. However, long-term/overuse of antibiotics not only leaves residues but results in the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Antibiotics, ARB, and ARGs are widespread in aquaculture ecosystems. However, their impacts and interaction mechanisms in biotic and abiotic media remain to be clarified. In this paper, we summarized the detection methods, present status, and transfer mechanisms of antibiotics, ARB, and ARGs in water, sediment, and aquaculture organisms. Currently, the dominant methods of detecting antibiotics, ARB, and ARGs are UPLC−MS/MS, 16S rRNA sequencing, and metagenomics, respectively. Tetracyclines, macrolides, fluoroquinolones, and sulfonamides are most frequently detected in aquaculture. Generally, antibiotic concentrations and ARG abundance in sediment are much higher than those in water. Yet, no obvious patterns in the category of antibiotics or ARB are present in organisms or the environment. The key mechanisms of resistance to antibiotics in bacteria include reducing the cell membrane permeability, enhancing antibiotic efflux, and structural changes in antibiotic target proteins. Moreover, horizontal transfer is a major pathway for ARGs transfer, including conjugation, transformation, transduction, and vesiculation. Identifying, quantifying, and summarizing the interactions and transmission mechanisms of antibiotics, ARGs, and ARB would provide useful information for future disease diagnosis and scientific management in aquaculture.

Emerging contaminants: A One Health perspective

“… 390 , 391 The presence of drug-resistant bacteria in plant tissues may contribute to the dissemination of antibiotic resistance in aquatic environments. 391 , 392 This transmission pathway can have cascading effects on the health of associated aquatic fauna. Aquatic fauna are susceptible to infections caused by biological contaminants.…”

Assessment and Assay Comparison for Detection of Antimicrobial Residues in Freshwater Aquaculture Fish in Erbil Governorate, Iraq

“…Excessive use of tetracyclines can result in the accumulation of residues in aquatic products. Fluoroquinolones, used to treat bacterial infections in aquaculture, have been associated with the development of antibiotic resistance and have been reported at high levels in water, sediment and aquaculture organisms [ 12 , 21 ].…”

Calcined Bean Dregs-Hydrocalumite Composites as Efficient Adsorbents for the Removal of Ofloxacin

“…Antibiotic properties are relatively stable, hard to metabolize, and generally with waste being directly deposited in the water environment. With increasing antibiotic usage, frequent from a natural water environment to detect antibiotic residues, causing serious pollution to the environment. − Thus, solving the pollution problem of antibiotics in the water environment has important significance …”

“…With increasing antibiotic usage, frequent from a natural water environment to detect antibiotic residues, causing serious pollution to the environment. 1 − 3 Thus, solving the pollution problem of antibiotics in the water environment has important significance. 4 …”