Host range of antibiotic resistance genes in wastewater treatment plant influent and effluent

We utilized epicPCR to detect the bacterial hosts of antibiotic resistance genes in two WWTPs. We identified the host distribution of four resistance-associated genes (tetM, int1, qacE?1, blaOXA-58) in influent and effluent. The bacterial hosts of these resistance genes varied between the WWTP influent and effluent, with a generally decreasing host range in the effluent. Through 16S rRNA gene sequencing it was determined that the resistance gene-carrying bacteria include both abundant and rare taxa.