摘要：AbstractIn this study, water samples were analyzed from a rural area of North Carolina after Hurricane Florence in 2018 and the distribution of thettrCvirulence gene ofSalmonella entericawere investigated. We also examined the distribution of culturableS. entericaand determined their antibiotic resistance profiles. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the classes of aminoglycoside, beta‐lactam, and macrolide‐lincosamide‐streptogramin B (MLSB) were targeted in this study. ThettrCgene was detected in 23 out of 25 locations. There was a wider and higher range of thettrCgene in flooded water versus unflooded water samples (0–2.12 × 105copies/L vs. 0–4.86 × 104copies/L). CulturableS. entericawas isolated from 10 of 25 sampling locations, which was less prevalent than the distribution of thettrCgene. The antibiotic resistance profiles were not distinct among theS. entericaisolates. The aminoglycoside resistance geneaac(6')‐Iyhad the highest relative abundance (around 0.05 copies/16S rRNA gene copy in all isolates) among all ARGs. These findings suggested that the 2018 flooding event led to higher copy numbers of thettrCgenes ofS. entericain some flooded water bodies compared to those in unflooded water bodies. The high ARG level and similar ARG profiles were observed in allS. entericaisolates from both flooded and unflooded samples, suggesting that the antibiotic resistance was prevalent inS. entericawithin this region, regardless of flooding.Plain Language SummaryIn this study, water samples collected from a rural area of North Carolina after Hurricane Florence in 2018 were analyzed. We found that this flooding event increased the copy numbers of the virulence genettrCofSalmonella entericain some flooded water bodies. The antibiotic resistance was prevalent in theS. entericaisolates from different water samples, from both flooded and unflooded areas. Understanding the distribution and antibiotic resistance profiles ofS. entericaafter a flood event is the first step in understanding how to make farms safe against future flooding and how to treat exposed herds with appropriate antibiotics, securing the food supply chain.Key PointsThettrCgene ofSalmonella entericawas prevalent in several water bodies in a rural area of North Carolina after Hurricane FlorenceThe loads ofttrCgene were high in some, but not all, flooded areasAntibiotic resistance genes were prevalent in theS. entericaisolates in this region
