Antibiotic Resistance Genes from Agricultural Bioaerosols: A Major Eastern Canadian Study
CAROLINE DUCHAINE, Nathalie Turgeon, Mahsa Baghdadi, Joanie Lemieux, Samantha Leclerc, Matthieu Girard, Patrick Brassard, Stéphane Godbout, Université Laval
Abstract Number: 38
Working Group: Bioaerosols in Agriculture: Sources, Risks and Mitigation
Abstract
A Canadian national initiative, aiming to study the antimicrobial resistance genes (ARG) in bioaerosols in Canadian arctic, rural and urban environments: sources, profiles, transport and fate was funded by the 2019 NSERC Discovery Frontiers program. This project has led to significant air sampling campaigns in agricultural settings, including poultry, swine and fish farming and during manure spreading activities, providing rich information on bioaerosol emissions from agricultural activities with emphasis on antibiotic resistance genes.
Method. Air samples have been collected from indoors and outdoors farming activities and used to calculate emission rates of ARG. Geolocation, weather data and building ventilation characteristics were included in the collected data. A high throughput PCR assay was also developed to increase analytical capacity.
Findings. Agricultural activities are important emitters of ARG and emission rates can reach significant levels, such as 109 ARG/kg of manure spread. Data will be used for dispersion modeling, risk assessment models, and in vivo ARG transfer. Data curation was put together through an extensive database and sample preservation system to ensure the sharing of information and material for future collaborations.
Implications. This project is the first initiative to cover broad sources of bioaerosols and integrate the findings into models to understand better the role of air in the dispersion of ARG. The presentation will cover the methods, context and possibility of collaborations for future valorization of samples and data in order to better understand the contribution of agriculture in ARG dispersion through bioaerosols.