People in these big cities could breathe genes resistant to antibiotics

According to a new study, antibiotic genes could be suspended in the air in many cities.

Researchers from several universities around the world have studied the number of antibiotic resistant genes in the air. The research, published in Environmental Science and Technology on Wednesday, badyzed the air in 19 different cities.

In the United States, at least two million people are infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As a result, 23,000 people die each year from these infections.

Bacteria can become resistant to antibiotics by coming into contact with other bacteria that have antibiotic-resistant genes, or by coming into contact with the genes themselves. According to the Alliance for the prudent use of antibiotics, there are several ways for one bacterium to transfer genes resistant to another gene. They can acquire them in conjugation, a process of mating. A virus can also transfer genes from one bacterium to another. Bacteria can also capture genes directly in their environment, for example if the gene is suspended in the air. Bacteria are able to acquire multiple genes, which means that they could resist several antibiotics.

The researchers in this new paper sought to find out whether urban city air contained 30 genes resistant to seven common clbades of antibiotics. The team found that all the cities studied, in the United States, China, Indonesia, Singapore, Australia, Poland, France, Denmark, Brazil, South Korea and South Africa were South, had genes resistant to antibiotics. A city in the United States contained the most.

San Francisco, California, had the largest number of genes in the air, while Bandung, Indonesia, had the fewest numbers. Beijing had the largest variation in antibiotic-resistant genes, with 18 different types. This represents 60% of the types of genes in their study.

In the 19 cities, the most common genes were resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics, which include penicillin, and quinolones, which can be used to treat many bacterial infections such as typhoid fever and urinary tract infections . The least common gene found was resistant to a treatment of last resort MRSA called vancomycin.

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Overview of the Golden Gate Bridge and the skyline. from downtown San Francisco. San Francisco had the most genes resistant to antibiotics in the air. KIRBY LEE / REUTERS

If someone breathes in one of the genes, the gene could transform a bacterium that it might contain in a bacteria resistant to antibiotics. If the person develops an infection, treatment may be difficult because antibiotic resistance may be difficult to detect.

While many studies are done on air pollution, they rarely look for these harmful genes. Scientists are calling for more focus on improving air quality in urban areas and to focus on identifying these genes in the future. 39; air.