Comparative analysis of bacterial community and antibiotic-resistant strains in the digestive tract of the housefly

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25670210
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Bacteriology (including mycology)
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: TANJI Yasunori 東京工業大学, 生命理工学研究科, 教授 (00282848)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): MIYANAGA Kazuhiko 東京工業大学, 大学院生命理工学研究科生物プロセス専攻, 助教 (40323810)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: イエバエ / 多剤耐性菌 / 菌叢解析

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Domestic insects have been implicated in the dissemination of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and resistance determinants. Houseflies are the most commonly occurring groups of synanthropic flies. Because of their developmental habitat, the mode of feeding by regurgitation, frequent fecal deposition, high dispersal ability, close contact with humans, and free movement between food animals and human residences, these flies are potential vectors of bacteria originating from animal manure and other decaying organic matter. The housefly has been demonstrated to harbor a considerable number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In this study, we monitored the whole bacterial community by a culture-independent method. Our results provide us with a better understanding of the interaction between synanthropic flies and the antibiotic-resistant bacteria that they harbor.

Free Research Field

環境生物工学