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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Kimberly, Idaho » Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #357084
Research Project: Improving Management Practices for Irrigated Western Cropping and Dairy Systems to Contribute to Sustainability and Improve Air Quality

Location: Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research

Title: Survey of selected antibiotic resistance genes in agricultural and non-agricultural soils in south-central Idaho

Author
item Dungan, Robert - Rob
item Strausbaugh, Carl
item Leytem, April

Submitted to: FEMS Microbiology Ecology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/20/2019
Publication Date: 5/24/2019
Citation: Dungan, R.S., Strausbaugh, C.A., Leytem, A.B. 2019. Survey of selected antibiotic resistance genes in agricultural and non-agricultural soils in south-central Idaho. FEMS Microbiology Ecology. 95(6):fiz071. https://doi.org/10.1093/femsec/fiz071.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/femsec/fiz071

Interpretive Summary: Agroecosystems are regions of intense agriculture production, which could be a potential hotspot for antibiotic resistance. In this study, agricultural soils (cropland, inactive cropland, pastureland, rangeland) and non-agricultural soils (recreational, residential, industrial, natural) were collected in south-central Idaho and analyzed to determine the occurrence and abundance of six antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). All but one of the ARGs were detected in some of the soils (15 to 60 detections out of 98 samples). Many of the ARGs were detected more frequently in the cropland soils and in greater relative abundances on average than in all other soils. The results from this study provide evidence that intensively managed cropland soils have a resistome that is greatly altered from that of other agricultural and native soils.

Technical Abstract: Agroecosystems are regions of intense agriculture production, which could be a potential hotspot for antibiotic resistance. In this study, agricultural soils (cropland, inactive cropland, pastureland, rangeland) and non-agricultural soils (recreational, residential, industrial, natural) were collected in south-central Idaho, then analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) to determine the occurrence and abundance of a class 1 integron-integrase gene (intI1) and six antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs): blaCTX-M-1, erm(B), sul1, tet(B), tet(M), and tet(X). All of the ARGs (except blaCTX-M-1) and intI1 were detected in some of the soils (15 to 60 detections out of 98 samples), with sul1 and intI1 being detected the most frequently. Except for a few instances, erm(B), tet(B), and tet(X) were primarily detected in the cropland soils. In addition, intI1, sul1, and tet(M) were detected more frequently in the cropland soils and in greater relative abundances on average than in all other soils. The results from this study provide evidence that intensively managed cropland soils have a resistome that is greatly altered from that of other agricultural and native soils.