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Peer-reviewedCC BY-NC-NDCurrent Research in Microbial Sciences

Maggots: an easily overlooked indicator insect of the distribution and receptor bacteria of ARGs

  • Xiaoqian Fang1
  • Jing Ma2
  • Yanling Wei3
  • Xiangxiang Liu4
  • Yanbo Hao4
  • Ziyu Liu4
  • Shaowei Hou4
  • Ping Xu5
  • Yang Yang4
  • Chengshi Ding1
  • Zhiping Wu6
  • Qing Chen6
6 affiliations
  1. 1College of Life Science, Zaozhuang University, Zaozhuang, 277160, China; Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Pomegranate, Zaozhuang University, Zaozhuang, 277160, China
  2. 2College of Life Science, Zaozhuang University, Zaozhuang, 277160, China; Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Pomegranate, Zaozhuang University, Zaozhuang, 277160, China; Corresponding author at: College of Life Science, Zaozhuang University, Zaozhuang, 277160, China.
  3. 3Comprehensive Law Enforcement Team, Yishui County Market Supervision and Administration Bureau, Linyi, 276499, China
  4. 4College of Life Science, Zaozhuang University, Zaozhuang, 277160, China
  5. 5College of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Zaozhuang University, Zaozhuang, 277160, China
  6. 6College of Life Science, Zaozhuang University, Zaozhuang, 277160, China; Corresponding authors.
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Abstract

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are a new type of pollutant in the environment, and insects serve as the medium for their spread. Maggots, as an important organism in polluted environments, can come into contact with, acquire, and transfer ARGs; however, the patterns indicating the spread of ARGs remain unclear. Here, we showed that tet A, sul 2, amp , and km were widely distributed in maggots in chicken farm, pond, trash can, and hospital. Soil and food were important sources of ARGs in maggots. Sul 2 was found in the head, chest, and abdomen. Both maggots and adult houseflies have ARGs. Feeding experiments firstly showed that the conjugative transfer of ARGs mediated by plasmids occurred in maggots. Providencia rustigianii and Providencia alcalifaciens in Proteobacteria were the main receptor bacteria of ARGs in maggots. Maggots can serve as new indicators of ARG contamination, and it is of great significance for preventing and controlling the spread of ARGs.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{fang2026maggots,
  title = {{Maggots: an easily overlooked indicator insect of the distribution and receptor bacteria of ARGs}},
  author = {Xiaoqian Fang and Jing Ma and Yanling Wei and Xiangxiang Liu and Yanbo Hao and Ziyu Liu and Shaowei Hou and Ping Xu and Yang Yang and Chengshi Ding and Zhiping Wu and Qing Chen},
  journal = {Current Research in Microbial Sciences},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1016/j.crmicr.2026.100676},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crmicr.2026.100676},
  note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Maggots: an easily overlooked indicator insect of the distribution and receptor bacteria of ARGs
AU  - Xiaoqian Fang
AU  - Jing Ma
AU  - Yanling Wei
AU  - Xiangxiang Liu
AU  - Yanbo Hao
AU  - Ziyu Liu
AU  - Shaowei Hou
AU  - Ping Xu
AU  - Yang Yang
AU  - Chengshi Ding
AU  - Zhiping Wu
AU  - Qing Chen
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/23
JO  - Current Research in Microbial Sciences
DO  - 10.1016/j.crmicr.2026.100676
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crmicr.2026.100676
AB  - Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are a new type of pollutant in the environment, and insects serve as the medium for their spread. Maggots, as an important organism in polluted environments, can come into contact with, acquire, and transfer ARGs; however, the patterns indicating the spread of ARGs remain unclear. Here, we showed that tet A, sul 2, amp , and km were widely distributed in maggots in chicken farm, pond, trash can, and hospital. Soil and food were important sources of ARGs in maggots. Sul 2 was found in the head, chest, and abdomen. Both maggots and adult houseflies have ARGs. Feeding experiments firstly showed that the conjugative transfer of ARGs mediated by plasmids occurred in maggots. Providencia rustigianii and Providencia alcalifaciens in Proteobacteria were the main receptor bacteria of ARGs in maggots. Maggots can serve as new indicators of ARG contamination, and it is of great significance for preventing and controlling the spread of ARGs.
SN  - 2666-5174
ER  -