Next Article in Journal
The Impact of Inappropriate Use Patterns on Sub-Lethal Antibiotic Exposure: A Multivariate Analysis on the Selection Risk of Resistant Mutants
Next Article in Special Issue
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia Complex: Genomic Characterization, Antimicrobial Resistance and First Report of S. muris from Oman
Previous Article in Journal
Integrated In Vitro and In Silico Evaluation of Benzimidazolium Salts: Antioxidant Activity, Anti-MRSA/MSSA Effects, and Antibacterial Gene Expression Analysis
Previous Article in Special Issue
Genomic Epidemiology of ESBL and Non-ESBL-Producing Escherichia coli Across One Health Interfaces in Oman
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Antibiotics
Volume 15
Issue 6
10.3390/antibiotics15060568
antibiotics-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Article

Comparison of Environmental Microbiomes, Resistomes and Plasmidomes from a Human Tertiary Hospital and Companion Animal Veterinary Hospital in London, UK

by
Linzy Elton
1,2,*,
Stuart Lutimba
3,
Alonso Dupuy Mateos
4,
Siân Marie Frosini
5,
Rosanne Jepson
6,
Alan Williams
7,
Shanom Ali
2,8,
Jelena Heaphy
9,
Vicky Pang
9,
Liam Commins
9,
Conor O’Brien
9,
Özge Yetiş
2,8,
Estelle Caine
8,
Imogen Ward
8,
Monika Muzslay
8,
Samuel Yui
8,
Kush Karia
8,
Ellinor Shore
8,
Sylvia Rofael
2,10,
Damien Mack
2,11,
Claire Atkinson
3,
Timothy D. McHugh
2 and
Emmanuel Q. Wey
2,11add Show full author list remove Hide full author list
1
Centre for Innovation in Genomics and Microbiome Sciences, University of West London, London W5 5RF, UK
2
UCL Centre for Clinical Microbiology, University College London, London NW3 2QG, UK
3
School of Applied and Health Science, London South Bank University, London SE1 0AA, UK
4
Independent Veterinary Surgeon, London, UK
5
Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead AL9 7TA, UK
6
Clinical Science and Services, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead AL9 7TA, UK
7
Department of Infection Sciences, Health Services Laboratories, London WC1H 9AX, UK
8
Environmental Research Laboratory, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London NW1 2PG, UK
9
Royal Free London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London NW3 2QG, UK
10
Faculty of Pharmacy, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21521, Egypt
11
Department of Infection, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London NW3 2QG, UK
 
add Show full affiliation list
 
remove Hide full affiliation list
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Antibiotics 2026, 15(6), 568; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics15060568
Submission received: 17 April 2026 / Revised: 26 May 2026 / Accepted: 28 May 2026 / Published: 2 June 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genomic Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR))
Browse Figures
Versions Notes

Abstract

Background: Human hospitals and veterinary centres are hotspots for resistant microbes and plasmids, and metagenomic sequencing offers an agnostic insight into microbiomes, resistomes, and mobilomes, informing strategies for reducing AMR spread. Methods: Environmental samples, including wastewater and surface swabs, were taken from a tertiary human hospital ward (36 samples) and a companion animal veterinary hospital (48 samples) in London. Whole DNA was extracted and metagenomic sequencing undertaken using Oxford Nanopore Technologies’ MinION. Data were analyzed for microbiomes, resistomes and mobilomes and compared. Results: Microbial diversity analyses highlight higher richness across human hospital (HH) environmental samples, but more evenness in veterinary hospital (VH) environmental samples. Diversity showed distinct microbial communities in the HH and VH samples. There were significantly more total antimicrobial resistance gene (ARG) types (p < 0.0001) in the environmental HH samples compared with the environmental VH samples. There was a significantly higher mean number of Enterobacteriales plasmid types (p ≤ 0.0001) in the HH samples. There were significantly more total Gram-Positive plasmid types (p ≤ 0.0001) in the VH samples. Discussion: This research highlights the presence of human and animal pathogens, ARGs and mobile genetic elements in clinical environments, underscoring the importance of multisectoral surveillance. Integrating taxonomic, resistome, and mobilome analyses provides a better understanding of the potential for AMR dissemination at the human–animal–environment interface. This provides insights relevant for the development of targeted surveillance and mitigation strategies within a OH framework.
Keywords: metagenomics; One Health; Oxford Nanopore Technologies; veterinary; clinical; antimicrobial resistance; surveillance metagenomics; One Health; Oxford Nanopore Technologies; veterinary; clinical; antimicrobial resistance; surveillance

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Elton, L.; Lutimba, S.; Mateos, A.D.; Frosini, S.M.; Jepson, R.; Williams, A.; Ali, S.; Heaphy, J.; Pang, V.; Commins, L.; et al. Comparison of Environmental Microbiomes, Resistomes and Plasmidomes from a Human Tertiary Hospital and Companion Animal Veterinary Hospital in London, UK. Antibiotics 2026, 15, 568. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics15060568

AMA Style

Elton L, Lutimba S, Mateos AD, Frosini SM, Jepson R, Williams A, Ali S, Heaphy J, Pang V, Commins L, et al. Comparison of Environmental Microbiomes, Resistomes and Plasmidomes from a Human Tertiary Hospital and Companion Animal Veterinary Hospital in London, UK. Antibiotics. 2026; 15(6):568. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics15060568

Chicago/Turabian Style

Elton, Linzy, Stuart Lutimba, Alonso Dupuy Mateos, Siân Marie Frosini, Rosanne Jepson, Alan Williams, Shanom Ali, Jelena Heaphy, Vicky Pang, Liam Commins, and et al. 2026. "Comparison of Environmental Microbiomes, Resistomes and Plasmidomes from a Human Tertiary Hospital and Companion Animal Veterinary Hospital in London, UK" Antibiotics 15, no. 6: 568. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics15060568

APA Style

Elton, L., Lutimba, S., Mateos, A. D., Frosini, S. M., Jepson, R., Williams, A., Ali, S., Heaphy, J., Pang, V., Commins, L., O’Brien, C., Yetiş, Ö., Caine, E., Ward, I., Muzslay, M., Yui, S., Karia, K., Shore, E., Rofael, S., ... Wey, E. Q. (2026). Comparison of Environmental Microbiomes, Resistomes and Plasmidomes from a Human Tertiary Hospital and Companion Animal Veterinary Hospital in London, UK. Antibiotics, 15(6), 568. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics15060568

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop