Carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative bacteria in aquatic environments: a review

Zineb Cherak (1) , Lotfi Loucif (2) , Abdelhamid Moussi (3) , Jean-Marc Rolain (4, 5)

1 Université Mustapha Ben Boulaid de Batna 2
2 University of Batna2
3 BISKRA - Université Mohamed Khider de Biskra
4 MEPHI - Microbes évolution phylogénie et infections
5 IHU Marseille - Institut Hospitalier Universitaire Méditerranée Infection

Antibiotic resistance is one of the greatest public-health challenges worldwide, especially with regard to Gram-negative bacteria (GNB). Carbapenems are the β-lactam antibiotics of choice with the broadest spectrum of activity and, in many cases, are the last-resort treatment for several bacterial infections. Carbapenemase-encoding genes, mainly carried by mobile genetic elements, are the main mechanism of resistance against carbapenems in GNB. These enzymes exhibit a versatile hydrolytic capacity and confer resistance to most β-lactam antibiotics. After being considered a clinical issue, increasing attention is being giving to the dissemination of such resistance mechanisms in the environment and especially through water. Aquatic environments are among the most significant microbial habitats on our planet, known as a favourable medium for antibiotic gene transfer, and they play a crucial role in the huge spread of drug resistance in the environment and the community. In this review, we present current knowledge regarding the spread of carbapenemase-producing isolates in different aquatic environments, which may help the implementation of control and prevention strategies against the spread of such dangerous resistant agents in the environment.

Mots clés: Carbapenemase; Gram-negative bacilli; Aquatic environment; Epidemiology

Domaines: Bactériologie; Virologie; Parasitologie; Cardiologie et système cardiovasculaire; Maladies émergentes; Maladies infectieuses

Zineb Cherak, Lotfi Loucif, Abdelhamid Moussi, Jean-Marc Rolain. Carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative bacteria in aquatic environments: a review. Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance, 2021, 25, pp.287-309. ⟨10.1016/j.jgar.2021.03.024⟩. ⟨hal-03333771⟩