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Xiu L, Liu H, Xie Y, Hu Q, Li H, Chen F, Wang C, Zhang Y, Hou L, Yin K. Alternations of antibiotic resistance genes and microbial community dynamics on shared bicycles before and after pandemic lockdown. Sci Total Environ 2024; 913:169625. [PMID: 38157892 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
The prevalence of shared bicycles has raised concerns over their potential to transmit pathogens and microbes harboring antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), which pose significant human health risks. This study investigated the impact of anthropogenic activities on the composition of ARGs and microbial communities on shared bicycles during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown when shared bicycle usage was altered. A total of 600 swab samples from shared bicycle surfaces were collected in Shanghai before and during COVID-19 lockdown periods. Even during lockdown, 12 out of 14 initially detected ARG subtypes persisted, indicating their tenacity in the face of reduced anthropogenic activities. These ARGs displayed significantly higher absolute and relative abundance levels before the lockdown. In addition, the percentage of potential pathogens in the total microbial abundance remained at 0.029 % during the lockdown, which was lower than the pre-lockdown percentage of 0.035 % and suggested that these risks persist within shared bicycle systems. Interestingly, although microbial abundance decreased without the consecutive use of shared bicycles during lockdown, the microbial diversity increased under the impact of restricted anthropogenic activities (p < 0.001). This emphasizes the need for continuous monitoring and research to comprehend microbial community behaviors in various environments. This study uncovered the underlying impacts of the COVID-19 lockdown on the microbial and ARG communities of shared bicycles, providing comprehensive insights into the health management of shared transportation. Although lockdown can decrease the abundance of ARGs and potential pathogens, additional interventions are needed to prevent their continued spread.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leshan Xiu
- School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; One Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University-The University of Edinburgh, Shanghai, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, Shanghai Academy of Environment Sciences, Shanghai, China.
| | - Haodong Liu
- School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; One Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University-The University of Edinburgh, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi Xie
- School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; One Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University-The University of Edinburgh, Shanghai, China
| | - Qinqin Hu
- School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; One Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University-The University of Edinburgh, Shanghai, China
| | - Huimin Li
- School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; One Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University-The University of Edinburgh, Shanghai, China
| | - Fumin Chen
- School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; One Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University-The University of Edinburgh, Shanghai, China
| | - Chenxi Wang
- School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; One Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University-The University of Edinburgh, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuqian Zhang
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgery Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; Microbiome Program, Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Liyuan Hou
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Utah State University, UT 84322, USA; Utah Water Research Laboratory, 1600 Canyon Road, Logan, UT 84321, USA.
| | - Kun Yin
- School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; One Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University-The University of Edinburgh, Shanghai, China.
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