Is there a link between exposure to pesticides and antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative bacteria isolated from Thai farmers?

IF 3.3 3区医学 Q3 IMMUNOLOGY

Microbial pathogenesis Pub Date : 2025-03-04 DOI:10.1016/j.micpath.2025.107451

Aïcha Hamieh , Hanane Zerrouki , Linda Hadjadj , Chuanphot Thinphovong , Anamika Kritiyakan , Kittipong Chaisiri , Serge Morand , Jean-Marc Rolain , Sophie Alexandra Baron

{"title":"Is there a link between exposure to pesticides and antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative bacteria isolated from Thai farmers?","authors":"Aïcha Hamieh , Hanane Zerrouki , Linda Hadjadj , Chuanphot Thinphovong , Anamika Kritiyakan , Kittipong Chaisiri , Serge Morand , Jean-Marc Rolain , Sophie Alexandra Baron","doi":"10.1016/j.micpath.2025.107451","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The organophosphate pesticides have the potential to impact microbial diversity, but their influence on antibiotic resistance (AR) in bacteria remains understudied.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>The objective of our study was to evaluate the impact of exposure to acetylcholinesterase inhibitors on glyphosate tolerance and AR in Gram-negative bacteria isolated from the digestive tracts of Thai farmers.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Human fecal samples from Thailand, grouped by pesticide exposure level measured by acetylcholinesterase blood concentration, were cultured on MacConkey (McK) agar with or without 7 g/L of a glyphosate-based formulation (GBF). Antibiotic susceptibility and glyphosate minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of isolated strains were assessed using the disk diffusion and broth microdilution methods, respectively.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 547 GNB were isolated from 112 human fecal samples. GBF medium predominantly selected <em>Escherichia coli</em>, <em>Klebsiella pneumoniae</em>, and <em>Citrobacter freundii</em>. GBF MICs ranged from 2 g/L to 16 g/L with <em>K. pneumoniae</em> species harboring the highest median MIC (16 g/L). AR rates were not significantly different between exposed and not exposed groups to pesticides. In contrast, six mobile colistin resistance (MCR)- and/or extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL)-producing <em>E. coli</em> strains were isolated from pesticide-exposed group, while only one colistin-resistant <em>K. pneumoniae</em> strain was isolated from a sample which was not exposed to pesticides.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The results of our study underscore the need for further research, particularly on the impact of glyphosate exposure on colistin resistance and the prevalence of ESBL-producing strains. Additionally, we emphasize the importance of testing a broad range of pesticides to better understand their impact on AR.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18599,"journal":{"name":"Microbial pathogenesis","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 107451"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Microbial pathogenesis","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0882401025001767","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"IMMUNOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

The organophosphate pesticides have the potential to impact microbial diversity, but their influence on antibiotic resistance (AR) in bacteria remains understudied.

Objectives

The objective of our study was to evaluate the impact of exposure to acetylcholinesterase inhibitors on glyphosate tolerance and AR in Gram-negative bacteria isolated from the digestive tracts of Thai farmers.

Methods

Human fecal samples from Thailand, grouped by pesticide exposure level measured by acetylcholinesterase blood concentration, were cultured on MacConkey (McK) agar with or without 7 g/L of a glyphosate-based formulation (GBF). Antibiotic susceptibility and glyphosate minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of isolated strains were assessed using the disk diffusion and broth microdilution methods, respectively.

Results

A total of 547 GNB were isolated from 112 human fecal samples. GBF medium predominantly selected Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Citrobacter freundii. GBF MICs ranged from 2 g/L to 16 g/L with K. pneumoniae species harboring the highest median MIC (16 g/L). AR rates were not significantly different between exposed and not exposed groups to pesticides. In contrast, six mobile colistin resistance (MCR)- and/or extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli strains were isolated from pesticide-exposed group, while only one colistin-resistant K. pneumoniae strain was isolated from a sample which was not exposed to pesticides.

Conclusions

The results of our study underscore the need for further research, particularly on the impact of glyphosate exposure on colistin resistance and the prevalence of ESBL-producing strains. Additionally, we emphasize the importance of testing a broad range of pesticides to better understand their impact on AR.

查看原文本刊更多论文

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Microbial pathogenesis 医学-免疫学

CiteScore

7.40

自引率

2.60%

发文量

472

审稿时长

56 days

期刊介绍： Microbial Pathogenesis publishes original contributions and reviews about the molecular and cellular mechanisms of infectious diseases. It covers microbiology, host-pathogen interaction and immunology related to infectious agents, including bacteria, fungi, viruses and protozoa. It also accepts papers in the field of clinical microbiology, with the exception of case reports. Research Areas Include: -Pathogenesis -Virulence factors -Host susceptibility or resistance -Immune mechanisms -Identification, cloning and sequencing of relevant genes -Genetic studies -Viruses, prokaryotic organisms and protozoa -Microbiota -Systems biology related to infectious diseases -Targets for vaccine design (pre-clinical studies)