Antibiotic Resistance within The Village Agriculture Cooperative, A Community Science Project

Abstract

Antibiotic development and use have dramatically extended the average human lifespan and revolutionized modern medicine. Antibiotics facilitate prophylactic reduction in surgical site infection and reduce the mortality of chemotherapy patients. However, antibiotic resistance poses a severe hindrance to the continued effectiveness of antibiotic treatments. The presence of a large healthcare industry in Rochester, Minnesota, raises the possibility of increased antibiotic-resistant genes in the environment. Furthermore, historical livestock practices within Rochester’s local farms may further exacerbate antibiotic resistance as antibiotics may be used to treat active infections as well as prophylactically. Coupled to this is grower land use practices which include the application of animal waste as fertilizer. This study investigated bacterial abundance, the prevalence of antibiotic resistance, and antibiotic-resistant species found in community farm soil in Rochester, Minnesota; Finding a large population of resistant Priesta megaterium across all three sites sampled with the highest prevalence at the oldest agricultural site sampled, the History Center. Elucidation of the current microbial makeup of the garden plot soils paves the way for future efforts to identify mitigation efforts; these efforts include targeting local environmental policy surrounding antibiotic stewardship in Rochester, MN of anthropogenic activities which may contribute to increased microbial resistance.