Distribution of clinically relevant antibiotic resistance genes in Lake Tai, China

Highlights: • Five clinically relevant antibiotic resistance genes were investigated in the Tai Lake, China. • The genes sul1, bla_TEM, bla_NDM-1, and bla_CTX-M-32 were prevalent in the Tai Lake. • The colistin resistance gene mcr-1 could not be detected. • No significant variations between sampling sites and time points could be observed. • Antibiotic resistance gene load is on an equal or even lower level compared to other surface water bodies. -- Abstract: Lake Tai is China's third largest freshwater lake and an important water resource for agriculture, industrial sectors, and as drinking water for several large cities. In this study, the occurrence of five antibiotic resistance genes (sul1, bla_TEM, bla_NDM-1, bla_CTX-M-32, mcr-1) was investigated in water and sediment samples collected from Lake Tai. Antibiotic resistances are currently increasing, posing a significant threat to public health. The sulfonamide resistance gene sul1 was highly abundant in all analyzed water and sediment samples. In addition, the two β-lactamase genes bla_TEM and bla_NDM-1 – encoding clinically relevant antibiotic resistances – were detected in 67.1 and 7.3% of the water samples and in 70.7 and 15.4% of the sediment samples. The third β-lactamase gene, bla_CTX-M-32, was only detected in water samples (13.4%), while the colistin resistance gene mcr-1 was not detected in any of the samples. No significant variations between different sampling sites or time points could be observed. The investigation of drinking water treatment at Lake Tai, using lake water as influent, showed a significant reduction of the antibiotic resistance genes through the treatment process. Microbial source tracking showed only low fecal contamination by humans, ruminants, and pigs, indicating the relevance of other sources such as fish farms. Overall, our results provide important insights into the occurrence and abundance of antibiotic resistance genes in the Lake Tai water system and their elimination via drinking water treatment.