The Effects of Environmental Conditions in Contribution to the Development of Tetracycline Resistance in Soil Bacteria

Overview

The development of multi -drug resistant strains of bacteria is a complex issue in which human mortality rates caused by increasingly untreatable infections is a single facet of a larger problem. Compounding this is the rampant misuse of commercially available antibiotics in small and large-scale agricultural operations introducing antibiotic resistant bacteria into our food supply causing disastrous consequences for food costs, production, and security. This study investigates farming and agricultural sites throughout Oahu to better understand what factors contribute to the presence of the tetracycline resistance genes tetB and tetM in soil bacteria. The study's findings suggest that sites where animals are being predominantly housed indoors are more likely to have bacteria containing tetracycline resistance genes tetB and tetM. Additionally, regardless of antibiotic use, resistance development is still a threat as these genes can persist within a bacteria l population even after cessation of treatment. These findings show that while methods of animal housing play an important role in combating the development of antibiotic resistance, certain areas may be predisposed to harbor resistant bacteria due to historic antibiotic usage in past agricultural operations. Moreover, further research should be conducted to observe how the tetB and tetM genes have evolved over time within the bacterial population. This poses a threat to both the conservation of culture through local agriculture and the health of the wor ld on a larger scale.