Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global challenge that has impacted aquaculture and surrounding marine environments. In this study, a year-long monitoring program was implemented to evaluate AMR in two different aquaculture settings (i.e., open cage farming, recirculating aquaculture system (RAS)) and surrounding marine environment within a tropical coastal region. The objectives of this study are to (i) investigate the prevalence and co-occurrence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB), antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), antibiotics (AB) and various associated chemical compounds at these study sites; (ii) explore the contributing factors to development and propagation of AMR in the coastal environment; and (iii) assess the AMR risks from different perspectives based on the three AMR determinants (i.e., ARB, ARGs and AB). Key findings revealed a distinct pattern of AMR across the different aquaculture settings, notably a higher prevalence of antibiotic-resistant Vibrio at RAS outfalls, suggesting a potential accumulation of microorganisms within the treatment system. Despite the relative uniform distribution of ARGs across marine sites, specific genes such as qepA, blaCTX−M and bacA, were found to be abundant in fish samples, especially from the RAS. Variations in chemical contaminant prevalence across sites highlighted possible anthropogenic impacts. Moreover, environmental and seasonal variations were found to significantly influence the distribution of ARGs and chemical compounds in the coastal waters. Hierarchical cluster analysis that was based on ARGs, chemical compounds and environmental data, categorized the sites into three distinct clusters which reflected strong association with location, seasonality and aquaculture activities. The observed weak correlations between ARGs and chemical compounds imply that low environmental concentrations may be insufficient for resistance selection. A comprehensive risk assessment using methodologies such as the multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index, comparative AMR risk index (CAMRI) and Risk quotient (RQ) underscored the complexity of AMR risks. This research significantly contributes to the understanding of AMR dynamics in natural aquatic systems and provides valuable insights for managing and mitigating AMR risks in coastal environments.

中文翻译：

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评估沿海水域和水产养殖系统抗微生物药物耐药性风险的多管齐下方法


抗菌素耐药性 （AMR） 是一项全球性挑战，已经影响了水产养殖和周围的海洋环境。在这项研究中，实施了一项为期一年的监测计划，以评估热带沿海地区两种不同水产养殖环境（即开放式网箱养殖、循环水产养殖系统 （RAS））和周围海洋环境中的 AMR。本研究的目的是 （i） 调查抗生素耐药菌 （ARB）、抗生素耐药基因 （ARG）、抗生素 （AB） 和各种相关化合物在这些研究地点的流行和共现;（ii） 探索 AMR 在沿海环境中发展和传播的因素;（iii） 根据三个 AMR 决定因素（即 ARB、ARG 和 AB）从不同角度评估 AMR 风险。主要研究结果揭示了不同水产养殖环境中 AMR 的独特模式，特别是 RAS 排污口抗生素耐药弧菌的患病率较高，这表明微生物在处理系统内可能积累。尽管 ARGs 在海洋地点的分布相对均匀，但发现 qepA、blaCTX-M 和 bacA 等特定基因在鱼类样本中含量丰富，尤其是来自 RAS。不同地点化学污染物流行率的差异突出了可能的人为影响。此外，发现环境和季节变化显着影响 ARGs 和化合物在沿海水域的分布。基于 ARG、化合物和环境数据的分层聚类分析将地点分为三个不同的集群，这些集群反映了与位置、季节性和水产养殖活动的密切关联。 观察到的 ARGs 和化合物之间的弱相关性意味着低环境浓度可能不足以进行抗性选择。使用多种抗生素耐药性 （MAR） 指数、比较 AMR 风险指数 （CAMRI） 和风险商数 （RQ） 等方法进行的综合风险评估强调了 AMR 风险的复杂性。这项研究极大地促进了对自然水生系统中 AMR 动态的理解，并为管理和减轻沿海环境中的 AMR 风险提供了有价值的见解。