Antibiotic-Resistance Gene (ARG) Baselines
MERMAID - Metagenomic Examinations of Reefs; Microbial Assessments Including Disease
Reef Metagenomics
Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease
Antibiotic-Resistance Gene (ARG) Baselines
On Florida and Caribbean coral reefs, stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) has caused widespread destruction and loss of coral cover since its first appearance off the coast of Miami in 2014.
So far, the only intervention found to be effective at halting progression of this disease and saving the lives of infected coral colonies is applying an amoxicillin paste, a type of antibiotic, to the surface of SCTLD-infected corals. However, the widespread and long-term use of this treatment has led to worries that it may be contributing to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains (bacteria against which antibiotics are no longer effective).
Antibiotic Resistance on Coral Reefs
Through Project MERMAID, we are working to examine antibiotic-resistance genes or ARGs (genes conferring antibiotic resistance) in coral tissue before and after treatment with amoxicillin paste to address the question of whether discrete localized use of this antibiotic in the treatment of SCTLD is increasing antibiotic resistance in the environment.
Although SCTLD has devastated reefs throughout Florida and the Caribbean, it has not yet spread to impact Pacific reefs. Given current concerns that ships may be mediating the spread of the disease to new regions, however, it is important to be prepared.
Under MERMAID, we are working to examine current levels of ARGs across a variety of Pacific coral species, before SCTLD’s arrival and the resulting application of amoxicillin to save corals. This data will provide a useful baseline comparison in the eventuality that SCTLD arrives in the Pacific.
Microbial Processes on Reefs
Coral Microbial Ecology
Coral Disease
On Florida and Caribbean coral reefs, stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) has caused widespread destruction and loss of coral cover since its first appearance off the coast of Miami in 2014.
So far, the only intervention found to be effective at halting progression of this disease and saving the lives of infected coral colonies is applying an amoxicillin paste, a type of antibiotic, to the surface of SCTLD-infected corals. However, the widespread and long-term use of this treatment has led to worries that it may be contributing to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains (bacteria against which antibiotics are no longer effective).
Antibiotic Resistance on Coral Reefs
Through Project MERMAID, we are working to examine antibiotic-resistance genes or ARGs (genes conferring antibiotic resistance) in coral tissue before and after treatment with amoxicillin paste to address the question of whether discrete localized use of this antibiotic in the treatment of SCTLD is increasing antibiotic resistance in the environment.
Although SCTLD has devastated reefs throughout Florida and the Caribbean, it has not yet spread to impact Pacific reefs. Given current concerns that ships may be mediating the spread of the disease to new regions, however, it is important to be prepared.
Under MERMAID, we are working to examine current levels of ARGs across a variety of Pacific coral species, before SCTLD’s arrival and the resulting application of amoxicillin to save corals. This data will provide a useful baseline comparison in the eventuality that SCTLD arrives in the Pacific.