Risk Factors for Detection, Survival, and Growth of Antibiotic-Resistant and Pathogenic Escherichia coli in Household Soils in Rural Bangladesh

• DOI: 10.1128/aem.01978-18
• Publication Date: 2018-10-09T09:38:59Z
• Authors: Maria Camila Mont...; Subarna Roy; Franziska Böni; Muhammed Iqbal Ho...; Tala Navab-Danesh...; Lea Caduff; A. S. G. Faruque; Mohammad Aminul I...; Timothy R. Julian
• Keywords: Rural Population; 0301 basic medicine; Wastewater Reuse and Management Practices; Antibiotic resistance; Biochemistry; Gene; Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering; Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli; Feces; Risk Factors; Antibiotics; Soil water; Pathology; Sanitation; Rural area; Water Science and Technology; 2. Zero hunger; Bangladesh; Family Characteristics; Waterborne Disease Outbreaks and Pathogen Transport; Ecology; Public and Environmental Health Microbiology; Escherichia coli Proteins; Hygiene; Pollution; 6. Clean water; Anti-Bacterial Agents; 3. Good health; Environmental health; Physical Sciences; Medicine; Public Health; Antibiotic Resistance in Aquatic Environments and Wastewater; Environmental Monitoring; Biotechnology; DNA, Bacterial; Diarrhea; Environmental engineering; Pathogenic Escherichia coli; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Microbiology; Environmental science; 03 medical and health sciences; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Escherichia coli; Animals; Humans; Biology; FOS: Environmental engineering; 15. Life on land; FOS: Biological sciences; Environmental Science; Cattle; Microbial Source Tracking; Chickens

Soil may represent a direct source or act as an intermediary for the transmission of antibiotic-resistant and pathogenic Escherichia coli strains, particularly in low-income and rural settings. Thus, determining risk factors associated with detection, growth, and long-term survival of E. coli in soil environments is important for public health. Here, we demonstrate that household soils in rural Bangladesh are reservoirs for antibiotic-resistant and potentially pathogenic E. coli strains and can support E. coli growth and survival, and defined soil physicochemical characteristics are drivers of E. coli survival in this environment. In contrast, we found no evidence that household-level factors, including water, sanitation, and hygiene indicators, were associated with E. coli contamination of household soils.