›› 2012, Vol. 39 ›› Issue (10): 101-105.

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Abundance and Persistence of Tetracycline Resistance Genes in Fecal Depositsy from Beef Cattle Fed Different Subtherapeutic Antibiotics

JIN Xin, ZHANG Wen-guang, ZHANG Yan-jun, SU Rui, WANG Rui-jun, LI Jin-quan   

  1. College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University,Huhhot 010018,China
  • Received:2012-03-15 Online:2012-10-20 Published:2012-10-19

Abstract: This study was investigated the effects of administering beef cattle antimicrobials at subtherapeutic concentrations on the abundance and persistence of tetracycline resistance genes within the whole microbial community of fecal waste.Cattlwere administered chlortetracycline, chlortetracycline plus sulfamethazine and no antimicrobials. Model fecal deposits (n=3) were prepared by mixing fresh feces from pens into a single composite sample. Real-time PCR was used to measure concentrations of tetracycline resistance genes tet(B), tet(C), tet(L), tet(M), tet(W) and 16S rRNA in DNA extracted from composite feces after 7, 14, 28, 42, 56, 70, 84, 98, 112, 126 and 175 days in the field. The concentrations of 16S rRNA in feces were similar across treatments and increased by day 56. Generally, initial concentrations of tetracycline resistance genes were greater (P<0.05) in fecal pats from animals fed chlortetracycline. For all fecal treatments, tet(B) and tet(C) increased 1 to 2 log units by 56 d, and then decreased to the initial 7 d levels by 175 d (P>0.05). The concentrations of tet(M) and tet(W) were greater than other tetracycline resistance determinants. Tetracycline resistance genes could persist in fecal waste from cattle beyond 175 days and the initial load of some genes might underestimate concentrations at later time points. Temporal changes in the concentrations of resistance genes were likely due to shifts in microbial populations.

Key words: cattle fecal deposits; tetracycline; antimicrobial resistance gene

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