Ziqi WU (Bruce)

Ziqi WU (Bruce)

Doctor

Senior researchers about antibiotic resistance bacteria, resistome, wastewater-based epidemiology, microbial genomics, and One Health surveillance.

Talks and presentations

American Chemical Society(ACS) Spring 2025

March 21, 2025

Conference proceedings presentation, American Chemical Society(ACS) Spring 2025, San Diego, California, USA

  • Title: Conjugative plasmids-associated to shape the antibiotic resistance dissemination prevalence in European wastewater sewers
  • Abstract: Antibiotic resistance (AR) surveillance is a key objective in the World Health Organization’s global action plan. Urban wastewater sewer systems serve as crucial reservoirs for environmental AR. The widespread prevalence of AR is partly attributed to the horizontal transfer of AR genes, typically mediated by conjugative plasmids. However, a comprehensive investigation on phenotypic antibiotic resistance of conjugative plasmid in urban wastewater sewers remains scarce. In this study, we applied culture-enriched and -selected phenotypic whole genomics to investigate the AR phenotypes and genotypes of conjugative plasmids in three medium-sized cities of Denmark, Spanish, and the United Kingdom. We collected 797 conjugative plasmids and assessed their antibiotic susceptibilities based on the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (AST) guidelines. Almost all conjugative plasmids were found to be resistant to multiple antibiotics. The AR phenotypes of conjugative plasmids were distinct from residential and hospital sewers in the cities of Spanish and the United Kingdom, but the phenotypic result was the opposite in the city of Denmark. Conjugative plasmids from hospital sewers possessed a stronger ability of trans-conjugation than those from residential sewers. There were 96 conjugative plasmids exhibiting resistance to more than three types of antibiotics selected for whole-genome sequencing using nanopore technologies. There were five types of mobilization systems (MOBs), seventeen types of incompatibility groups (Inc), and seventy-four types of AR genes identified among these plasmids. AR genes carried by these plasmids were conferred to their corresponding resistance phenotypes. The β-lactamases and aminoglycoside resistance genes were mainly encoded on these plasmids. About half of these plasmids carried multidrug-resistant genes. Our surveillance represents a profile to date of the AR phenotype associated with conjugative plasmids in clinical and residential sewers. It emphasizes the importance of enhancing surveillance of sewage-based AR and contributes to a deeper understanding of conjugative plasmid-mediated AR.

The International Conference on Bacteria and Global Health

February 17, 2024

Poster Presentation, SUSTech, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China

  • Poster title: “Conjugative plasmids-associated to shape the antibiotic resistance dissemination prevalence in European wastewater sewers”
  • Abstract: Antibiotic resistance (AR) surveillance is a key objective in the World Health Organization’s global action plan. Urban wastewater sewer systems serve as crucial reservoirs for environmental AR. The widespread prevalence of AR is partly attributed to the horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), typically mediated by conjugative plasmids. However, large-scale investigation on conjugative plasmid-mediated ARGs in urban wastewater sewer systems remain scarce. In this study, we conducted an international surveillance of conjugative plasmids, obtained from wastewater sewers in hospital and residential settings in three medium-sized cities: Denmark, Spain, and the United Kingdom. A total of 797 conjugative plasmids were collected and their antibiotic susceptibilities were assessed using the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) guidelines. Based on results of AST, about 99% (790/797) of the 797 conjugative plasmids were found to be resistant to multiple of antibiotics. The conjugative plasmids’ resistance phenotypes in different countries are influenced to some extent by the antibiotic consumption of those countries. The analysis revealed distinct phenotypes of antibiotic resistance between plasmids from residential and hospital sewers at local and global scale. Among them, 96 specific plasmids exhibiting resistance to multiple antibiotic classes were selected for whole-genome sequencing using nanopore technologies. The sequencing analysis identified five types of mobilization systems (MOBs), seventeen types of incompatibility groups (Inc), and seventy-four types of ARGs among these plasmids. These broad-host-range conjugative plasmids were also as a critical role in HGT of β-lactamases genes, multidrug resistance genes and macrolides inside the bacteria communities in wastewater. This surveillance represents the most comprehensive profiling to date of the antibiotic resistance phenotype associated with conjugative plasmids in clinical and residential sewer systems across multiple countries. The findings emphasize the critical importance of enhancing surveillance of sewage-based antibiotic resistance and contribute to a deeper understanding of the complex dynamics of conjugative plasmid-mediated antibiotic resistance, paving the way for informed strategies to combat this global challenge.