Microplastics and Carbapenem Resistance Conjugation in ICU Pathogens

A collection of experimental results from a study investigating how microplastics enhance the horizontal transfer of carbapenemase resistance plasmids among CRE pathogens in ICU environments. It includes quantified conjugation frequencies under simulated ICU conditions, including standard and hyperglycemic media, and measurements of biofilm formation. The study was authored by Yongliang Ni and last updated in March 2026.

Use Cases

• Analyze the correlation between microplastic exposure and quantified conjugation frequencies of carbapenemase plasmids.
• Model the synergistic effect of simulated diabetic ICU urine environment on plasmid transfer efficiency, which increased by more than 3.96-fold.
• Assess the relationship between MP-induced stimulation of biofilm formation in recipient bacteria and elevated conjugation efficiencies.
• Compare plasmid transfer rates under plastic-free control conditions versus conditions with environmentally relevant concentrations of characterized MPs.

Strengths

• Data is derived from controlled experiments simulating ICU conditions, including hyperglycemic media.
• Results include statistically significant findings (p < 0.001) on MP-enhanced conjugation rates.
• Study quantifies a specific 3.96-fold increase in plasmid transfer efficiency under synergistic conditions.

Limitations

• The dataset is very small at 22.0 KB, indicating limited scope and likely a summary of results rather than raw experimental data.
• Specific sample sizes, row counts, and column structures are unknown, limiting detailed statistical re-analysis.
• Experimental conditions are simulated and may not fully capture the complexity of real-world ICU environments.

Provenance

Source

figshare, authored by Yongliang Ni.

Collection Method

Experimental study co-incubating CRE isolates and plasmids with microplastics, quantifying conjugation frequencies and assessing biofilm formation.

Freshness

Last updated March 2026, indicating recent data.