Marano, R.B.M. - Department of Agroecology and Plant Health, The Robert H. Smith, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel; Department of Soil Chemistry, Plant Nutrition and Microbiology, Institute of Soil Water and Environmental Sciences, Volcani Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Rishon Lezion, Israel.
Fernandes, T. - cUniversidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF – Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina – Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua Arquiteto Lobão Vital, 172, Porto, 4200-374, Portugal
Manaia, C.M. - cUniversidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF – Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina – Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua Arquiteto Lobão Vital, 172, Porto, 4200-374, Portugal
Nunes, O. - LEPABE, Laboratório de Engenharia de Processos, Ambiente, Biotecnologia e Energia, Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, Porto, 4200-465, Portugal
Morrison, D. - School Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, EH11 4BN, United Kingdom
Berendonk, T.U. - Institute of Hydrobiology, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
Kreuzinger, N. - Vienna University of Technology, Institute for Water Quality and Resources Management, Vienna, Austria
Telson, T. - Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Estonia
Corno, G. - CNR-IRSA Molecular Ecology Group, Largo Tonolli 50, Verbania, 28922, Italy
Fatta-Kassinos, D. - Civil and Environmental Engineering Department and Nireas International Water Research Center, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, Nicosia, CY-1678, Cyprus
Merlin, C. - UMR 7564 University of Lorraine-CNRS (LCPME), France
Topp, E. - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, London Research and Development Centre (ON), Canada; Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
Jurkevitch, E. - Department of Agroecology and Plant Health, The Robert H. Smith, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
Henn, L. - School Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, EH11 4BN, United Kingdom
Scott, A. - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, London Research and Development Centre (ON), Canada
Heß, S. - Institute of Hydrobiology, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Institute of Microbiology, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
Slipko, K. - Vienna University of Technology, Institute for Water Quality and Resources Management, Vienna, Austria
Laht, M. - Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Estonia; Estonian Environmental Research Centre, Estonia
Kisand, V. - Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Estonia
Di Cesare, A. - CNR-IRSA Molecular Ecology Group, Largo Tonolli 50, Verbania, 28922, Italy
Karaolia, P. - Civil and Environmental Engineering Department and Nireas International Water Research Center, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, Nicosia, CY-1678, Cyprus
Michael, S.G. - Civil and Environmental Engineering Department and Nireas International Water Research Center, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, Nicosia, CY-1678, Cyprus
Petre, A.L. - Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid E-28871, Spain
Rosal, R. - Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid E-28871, Spain
Pruden, A. - Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
Riquelme, V. - Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
Agüera, A. - Solar Energy Research Centre (CIESOL), Joint Centre University of Almería-CIEMAT, Almería, 04120, Spain
Esteban, B. - Solar Energy Research Centre (CIESOL), Joint Centre University of Almería-CIEMAT, Almería, 04120, Spain
Luczkiewicz, A. - Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Gdansk University of Technology, G. Narutowicza 11/12 street, Gdańsk, 80-233, Poland
Kalinowska, A. - Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Gdansk University of Technology, G. Narutowicza 11/12 street, Gdańsk, 80-233, Poland
Leonard, A. - sUniversity of Exeter Medical School, European Centre for Environment and Human Health, Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn campus, TR10 9FE, United Kingdom
Gaze, W.H. - University of Exeter Medical School, European Centre for Environment and Human Health, Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn campus, TR10 9FE, United Kingdom
Adegoke, A.A. - Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa; Department of Microbiology, University of Uyo, Uyo, Nigeria
Stenstrom, T.A. - Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa
Pollice, A. - CNR-IRSA, Viale F. De Blasio 5, Bari, 70132, Italy.
Salerno, C. - CNR-IRSA, Viale F. De Blasio 5, Bari, 70132, Italy
Schwermer, C.U. - Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Gaustadalléen 21, Oslo, N-0349, Norway.
Krzeminski, P. - Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Gaustadalléen 21, Oslo, N-0349, Norway
Guilloteau, H. - UMR 7564 University of Lorraine-CNRS (LCPME), France
Donner, E. - Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia
Drigo, B. - Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia
Libralato, G. - Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, via Cinthia 21, Naples, 80126, Italy
Guida, M. - Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, via Cinthia 21, Naples, 80126, Italy
Bürgmann, H. - Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Kastanienbaum, 6047, Switzerland
Beck, K. - Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Kastanienbaum, 6047, Switzerland
Garelick, H. - Department of Natural Sciences, Middlesex University, London, NW4 4BT, United Kingdom
Tacão, M. - acCESAM and Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Portugal
Henriques, I. - CESAM and Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Portugal; University of Coimbra, Department of Life Sciences, Calçada Martim de Freitas, Coimbra, 3000-456, Portugal
Martínez-Alcalá, I. - Department of Civil Engineering, Av. de los Jerónimos, 135, Guadalupe, Murcia 30107, Spain
Guillén-Navarro, J.M. - Department of Civil Engineering, Av. de los Jerónimos, 135, Guadalupe, Murcia 30107, Spain
Popowska, M. - aeInstitute of Microbiology, Department of Applied Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Poland
Piotrowska, M. - aeInstitute of Microbiology, Department of Applied Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Poland
Quintela-Baluja, M. - School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom
Bunce, J.T. - School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom.
Polo-López, M.I. - Solar Energy Research Centre (CIESOL), Joint Centre University of Almería-CIEMAT, Almería, 04120, Spain; Plataforma Solar de Almería – CIEMAT, P.O. Box 22, Tabernas, Almería, 04200, Spain
Nahim–Granados, S. - Solar Energy Research Centre (CIESOL), Joint Centre University of Almería-CIEMAT, Almería, 04120, Spain; Plataforma Solar de Almería – CIEMAT, P.O. Box 22, Tabernas, Almería, 04200, Spain
Pons, M.-N. - Université de Lorraine, CNRS, LRGP, Nancy, F-54000, France
Milakovic, M. - Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Bijenicka 54, Zagreb, Croatia
Udikovic-Kolic, N. - Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Bijenicka 54, Zagreb, Croatia
Ory, J. - Laboratoire “Microorganisme: Génome et Environnement”, Université Clermont Auvergne, BP 10448, Clermont-Ferrand, F-63000, France; CNRS, UMR 6023, LMGE, F-63170 Campus Universitaire des Cézeaux, Clermont-Ferrand, France; Service d'hygiène hospitalière, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
Ousmane, T. - Laboratoire “Microorganisme: Génome et Environnement”, Université Clermont Auvergne, BP 10448, Clermont-Ferrand, F-63000, France; CNRS, UMR 6023, LMGE, F-63170 Campus Universitaire des Cézeaux, Clermont-Ferrand, France; Service d'hygiène hospitalière, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, Franceaj,ak,al,
Caballero, P. - Laboratori EMATSA, Ctra Valls Km 3, Tarragona, 43130, Spain
Oliver, A. - Laboratori EMATSA, Ctra Valls Km 3, Tarragona, 43130, Spain
Rodriguez-Mozaz, S. - Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Girona, 17003, Spain
Balcazar, J.L. - Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Girona, 17003, Spain
Jäger, T. - Institute of Functional Interfaces (IFG), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
Schwartz, T. - Institute of Functional Interfaces (IFG), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
Yang, Y. - School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
Zou, S. - School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
Lee, Y. - School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, 61005, South Korea
Yoon, Y. - School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, 61005, South Korea
Herzog, B. - Chair of Urban Water Systems Engineering, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Germany
Mayrhofer, H. - Chair of Urban Water Systems Engineering, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Germany
Prakash, O. - National Centre for Microbial Resource (NCMR), National Centre for Cell Science, Pune, 411007, India
Nimonkar, Y. - National Centre for Microbial Resource (NCMR), National Centre for Cell Science, Pune, 411007, India
Heath, E. - Jozef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, Ljubljana, 1000, Slovenia
Baraniak, A. - National Medicines Institute, Department of Molecular Microbiology, Chelmska 30/34, Warsaw, 00-725, Poland
Abreu-Silva, J. - Universidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF – Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina – Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua Arquiteto Lobão Vital, 172, Porto, 4200-374, Portugal.
Choudhury, M. - abDepartment of Natural Sciences, Middlesex University, London, NW4 4BT, United Kingdom
Munoz, L.P. - Department of Natural Sciences, Middlesex University, London, NW4 4BT, United Kingdom
Krizanovic, S. - Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Bijenicka 54, Zagreb, Croatia
Brunetti, G. - Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia
Maile-Moskowitz, A. - p, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
Brown, C. - Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
The World Health Organization Global Action Plan recommends integrated surveillance programs as crucial strategies for monitoring antibiotic resistance. Although several national surveillance programs are in place for clinical and veterinary settings, no such schemes exist for monitoring antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the environment. In this transnational study, we developed, validated, and tested a low-cost surveillance and easy to implement approach to evaluate antibiotic resistance in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) by targeting cefotaxime-resistant (CTX-R) coliforms as indicators. The rationale for this approach was: i) coliform quantification methods are internationally accepted as indicators of fecal contamination in recreational waters and are therefore routinely applied in analytical labs; ii) CTX-R coliforms are clinically relevant, associated with extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs), and are rare in pristine environments. We analyzed 57 WWTPs in 22 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and North America. CTX-R coliforms were ubiquitous in raw sewage and their relative abundance varied significantly (<0.1% to 38.3%), being positively correlated (p < 0.001) with regional atmospheric temperatures. Although most WWTPs removed large proportions of CTX-R coliforms, loads over 103 colony-forming units per mL were occasionally observed in final effluents. We demonstrate that CTX-R coliform monitoring is a feasible and affordable approach to assess wastewater antibiotic resistance status.
