Detection of antibiotic resistant genes in northeast Georgia water.

Antibiotics are an effective way to treat bacterial infections. However, the constant evolution of bacteria combined with the misuse of antibiotics has resulted in bacteria having developed antibiotic resistance. This is an increasingly prevalent public health issue because bacteria can transfer or uptake cell-free environmental DNA (eDNA) that contain antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs). Due to this, the prevalence of ineffective antibiotic treatments is rising. Water waste that contains traces of consumed antibiotics can contribute to the spread of ARGs. Although treatment plants can reduce contaminants in the water, some ARGs can survive treatment. Currently there is no data on ARGs in northeast Georgia water. Therefore, we are aiming to detect and characterize ARGs in the northeast Georgia water using molecular tools. We have developed a protocol to detect ARGs based on current literature. Strains of known antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) were cultured and the subsequent DNA was extracted. This DNA was suspended in distilled water to simulate eDNA in water sources to serve as our control. The water was filtered through a nitrocellulose membrane. We used qPCR with specific primers to detect, amplify, and quantify ARGs. We have sampled water from various sources and used our detection method to identify ARGs present. We plan to continue sampling more water sources along with drinking water. We will present our results on the detection and quantification of eARGs from these various water sources in the northeast Georgia area.