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Project Code [2018-W-PhD-11]

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Project title

Survival of mobile antibiotic resistance in water

Primary Funding Agency

Environmental Protection Agency

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

n/a

Lead Organisation

Maynooth University (MU)

Lead Applicant

Fiona Walsh

Project Abstract

Our EU Water JPI project (Stare) identified specific mobile antibiotic resistance (AR) genes and bacteria in the effluent of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Ireland and EU. These AR genes pose a threat to the treatment of human and animal infections if they transfer to pathogenic bacteria as they confer resistance to a wide range of antibiotics. The objective of this proposal is to identify the capabilities of these AR mechanisms carried on mobile DNA (plasmids) to survive in downstream water when they are released from WWTPs. This will be achieved by characterising the genetic components of the collected AR plasmids, analysing the collected plasmids for their ability to survive in receiving water, identifying the plasmids capable of surviving and transferring to both resident water bacteria and pathogenic bacteria. The potential applications of the research findings are to describe the plasmids and AR genes emerging from WWTPs, which pose the greatest risk to human and animal health and further dissemination in the environment and enable risk assessment models to be developed.

Grant Approved

�52,000.00

Research Hub

Healthy Environment

Research Theme

Safe water

Start Date

07/01/2019

Initial Projected Completion Date

06/01/2023