antibiotic-resistant genes in Washing Machines

University dormitories represent densely populated environments, and washing machines are po-tential sites for the spread of bacteria and microbes. However, the extent of antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) variation in washing machines within university dormitories and their potential health risks are largely unknown. To disclose the occurrence of ARGs and antibiotic-resistant bacteria from university dormitories, we collected samples from washing machines in 10 dormi-tories and used metagenomic sequencing technology to determine microbial and ARG abundance. Our results showed abundant microbial diversity, with Proteobacteria being the dominant mi-croorganism that harbors many ARGs. The majority of the existing ARGs were associated with antibiotic target alteration and efflux, conferring multidrug resistance. We identified tnpA and IS91 as the most abundant mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in washing machines, and found that Micavibrio aeruginosavorus, Aquincola tertiaricarbonis, and Mycolicibacterium iranicum had high levels of ARGs. The composition of resistance genes was strongly associated with different bacte-rial types, but only minor variations in bacterial community and ARGs were observed between females and males. However, due to limitations in sample size, further study is needed to confirm any potential gender differences. Our study highlights the potential transmission of pathogens from washing machines to humans and the surrounding environment. Pollution in washing ma-chines poses a severe threat to public health and demands attention. Therefore, it is crucial to explore effective methods for reducing the reproduction of multidrug resistance.