Portable DNA Sequencing Device Enhances Detection of Antibiotic Resistance

Innovative Tool for Genomic Surveillance
New Delhi, June 28: A recent study suggests that a portable DNA sequencing device could play a crucial role in genomic surveillance, particularly in identifying hotspots of antibiotic resistance in both animals and the environment.
In a pilot initiative, a collaborative team from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, Indonesia’s Ministry of Agriculture, and Arizona State University (ASU) evaluated the handheld DNA sequencing technology to assess antibiotic resistance in six chicken slaughterhouses.
The researchers gathered samples from wastewater and adjacent rivers in the Greater Jakarta region of Indonesia.
The findings revealed that drug-resistant E. coli bacteria, a significant marker of antibiotic resistance, were detected in slaughterhouse wastewater, potentially contaminating nearby rivers.
Notably, downstream locations exhibited higher concentrations of resistant E. coli compared to upstream areas, indicating a possible pathway for resistance to migrate from animal waste into the environment.
The study highlights that portable DNA sequencing can enhance national surveillance capabilities, facilitating the identification of antibiotic resistance hotspots.
This advancement could lead to more focused and cost-effective strategies to mitigate the spread of resistant E. coli strains, which are responsible for various illnesses, including diarrhoea, particularly affecting children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems, according to the researchers.
“In certain contexts, diarrhoea can be more than just uncomfortable; it can be life-threatening,” stated Lee Voth-Gaeddert, a researcher at the ASU Biodesign Center for Health Through Microbiomes.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remains a pressing global health challenge, posing serious threats to both human and animal health.
In 2021, AMR was linked to approximately 4.71 million deaths, with 1.14 million directly attributed to it. Projections indicate that by 2050, AMR could lead to 8.22 million deaths annually, including 1.91 million directly attributable cases.
Tools like the portable DNA sequencing device, which are fast, affordable, and locally accessible, could significantly enhance efforts to monitor and manage a wide array of microbial threats.
The mobile sequencing method may also be applicable in farms and wet markets, or modified to track other pathogens such as avian influenza, as noted by the research team in their publication in the journal Antibiotics.