A study from the University of Gothenburg highlights that wastewater environments significantly contribute to the evolution of antibiotic resistance, revealing that they facilitate the transfer of resistance genes from non-pathogenic to pathogenic bacteria. The research indicates that while efforts to reduce antibiotic usage in humans and animals are crucial, focus on managing wastewater must also be prioritized to prevent the emergence of new antibiotic-resistant strains.
Historically, microorganisms developed natural antibiotic resistance long before the advent of synthetic antibiotics. The study, published in Communications Biology, emphasizes that wastewaters contain not only antibiotic residues but also specific DNA sequences that allow for the mobility of resistance genes. Surprisingly, researchers found that the conditions conducive to the movement of these genes were more prevalent in wastewater than in animal or human guts.
The findings suggest that the environment serves as a vast reservoir for diverse resistance genes that could ultimately transfer to pathogens, exacerbating the issue of antibiotic resistance. Lead researcher Fanny Berglund stresses the importance of addressing wastewater management, alongside efforts to reduce antibiotic consumption, to mitigate the rise of new antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
