mBio：揭秘铜抑制细菌抗生素耐药性感染的分子机制

来自南安普顿大学的研究者研究发现，铜可以抑制基因的水平传播，基因的水平传播可以增加细菌的抗生素耐药性感染。相关研究成果刊登于国际杂志mBio上。

细菌中的水平基因转移（Horizontal gene transfer，HGT）对于细菌抗生素耐药性的产生非常关键，这就无疑中增加了关于感染相关的卫生保健难度。这项研究揭示了，当HGT在环境中频繁发生时，如在可接触的表面如门把手、手推车以及桌子发生时，铜就可以有效抑制基因水平转移的过程并且有效杀灭细菌。

揭示了在手可接触表面发生的基因间的水平传递对于研究和理解环境中的感染以及预防感染至关重要，研究者Keevil总结道，我们都知道，人类的许多致病菌在医院环境中存货可很长时间而且经常引发感染，引发个体死亡。这项研究中我们所能阐述的是潜在的抗微生物的铜质表面，其不仅仅可以破坏细菌的污染链，而且降低细菌产生抗生素耐药性的风险。通过在关键环境中提供足够的清洁措施，铜就可以用来作为一种辅助的抵御致病菌的工具来抵御感染。

铜可以大量地降低并且限制细菌的感染性行为，其也可以有效改善个体的健康状况及公众的卫生保健情况。目前包括英国在内的许多国家都已经使用了铜质的设备，使用铜质器具可以有效降低生物负荷量以及降低致病菌的感染。

doi:10.1128/​mBio.00489-12
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Horizontal Transfer of Antibiotic Resistance Genes on Abiotic Touch Surfaces: Implications for Public Health

Sarah L. Warnes, Callum J. Highmore, and C. William Keevil

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is largely responsible for increasing the incidence of antibiotic-resistant infections worldwide. While studies have focused on HGT in vivo, this work investigates whether the ability of pathogens to persist in the environment, particularly on touch surfaces, may also play an important role. Escherichia coli, virulent clone ST131, and Klebsiella pneumoniae harboring extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (ESBL) blaCTX-M-15 and metallo-β-lactamase blaNDM-1, respectively, exhibited prolonged survival on stainless steel, with approximately 104 viable cells remaining from an inoculum of 107 CFU per cm2 after 1 month at 21°C. HGT of bla to an antibiotic-sensitive but azide-resistant recipient E. coli strain occurred on stainless steel dry touch surfaces and in suspension but not on dry copper. The conjugation frequency was approximately 10 to 50 times greater and occurred immediately, and resulting transconjugants were more stable with ESBL E. coli as the donor cell than with K. pneumoniae, but blaNDM-1 transfer increased with time. Transconjugants also exhibited the same resistance profile as the donor, suggesting multiple gene transfer. Rapid death, inhibition of respiration, and destruction of genomic and plasmid DNA of both pathogens occurred on copper alloys accompanied by a reduction in bla copy number. Naked E. coli DNA degraded on copper at 21°C and 37°C but slowly at 4°C, suggesting a direct role for the metal. Persistence of viable pathogenic bacteria on touch surfaces may not only increase the risk of infection transmission but may also contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance by HGT. The use of copper alloys as antimicrobial touch surfaces may help reduce infection and HGT.

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