Occurrence of emerging sulfonamide resistance (sul1 and sul2) associated with mobile integrons-integrase (intI1 and intI2) in riverine systems.

Global use of antibiotics has exceedingly enhanced in agricultural, veterinary and prophylactic human use in recent days. Hence, these antibiotics can easily be found in the environment. This study revealed the occurrence of emerging MDR and ESBL producing strains, pollution profile, and factors integrons (intI1 and intI2) and environmental factors associated, in the riverine systems under different ecological and geo-climatic zones were investigated. The samples were collected based on anthropogenic intervention such as discharge of domestic wastes, industrial wastes, hospital, and municipal wastes. Among 160bacterial morphotypes, 121 (75.62%) exhibited MDR trait with maximum resistance towards lincosamide (CD = 71.3%), beta-lactams (P = 70.6%; AMX = 66.3%), cephalosporin (CZ = 60.6%; CXM = 34.4%), sulfonamide (COT = 50.6%; TR = 43.8%) followed by macrolide (E = 29.4%), tetracycline (TET = 18.8%), aminoglycosides (S = 18.8%; GEN = 6.3%), fluoroquinolones (NX = 18.1%; OF = 4.4%) and carbapenem (IPM = 5.0%). IntI1 gene was detected in 73 (60.3%) of isolates, whereas intI2 was found in 11 (9.09%) isolates. Eight (6.61%) isolates carried both integron genes (intI1 and intI2). sul1 and dfrA1 genes were detected in 53 (72.6%) and 63 (86.3%) isolates, respectively. A total of 103 (85.1%) were found ESBL positive with the presence of ESBL genes in 100 (97.08%) isolates. In riverine systems most prevalent ESBL gene blaTEM (93.0%) was detected alone as well as in combination with bla genes. The data can be utilized for public awareness and regulation of guidelines by local governing bodies as an alarming threat to look-out against the prevalent resistance in environment thereby assisting in risk management during epidemics. This study is a comprehensive investigation of emerging antibiotic pollutants and its resistance in bacteria associated with factors integrons-integrase responsible for its dissemination. It may also assist in global surveillance of antibiotic resistance and policies to curtail unnecessary antibiotic use.