The diversity of antibiotic resistance and virulence genes are correlated in human gut and environmental microbiomes

Human beings have used large amounts of antibiotics, not only in medical contexts but also, for example, as growth factors in agriculture and livestock, resulting in the contamination of the environment. Even when pathogenic bacteria are the targets of antibiotics, hundreds of non-pathogenic bacterial species are affected as well. Therefore, both pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria have gradually become resistant to antibiotics. We tested whether there is still co-occurrence of resistance and virulence determinants. We performed a comparative study of environmental and human gut metagenomes issuing from different individuals and from distinct human populations across the world. We found a great diversity of antibiotic resistance determinants (ARd) and virulence factors (VFd) in metagenomes. Importantly there is a correlation between ARd and VFd, even after correcting for protein family richness. In the human gut there are less ARd and VFd than in more diversified environments, and yet correlations between the ARd and VFd are stronger. They can vary from very high in Malawi, where antibiotic consumption is unattended, to non-existent in the uncontacted Amerindians. We conclude that there is co-occurrence of resistance and virulence determinants, suggesting a possible co-selective mechanism. For example, by selecting for resistant bacteria, we may be selecting for more virulent strains as a side effect of antimicrobial therapy.