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Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria are one of the greatest threats to public health in the world, and they are unfortunately increasing, according to World Health Organization (WHO ).
Antimicrobial resistance describes antibiotic-resistant bacteria, where previously simple and effective treatments for curing bacterial infections no longer work.
This means that some infections now considered easily treatable could be fatal and that antibiotics may one day be ineffective in preventing infections.
While scientists and doctors are racing to prevent the spread of antimicrobial resistance, the focus has been mostly on hospitals and clinics. However, a new study has shown that the environment plays an equally important role in spreading antibiotic-resistant bacteria around the world.
The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Exeter and published in the journal mBio.
"Our research shows how important it is to take steps to limit antibiotics that enter the environment," said William Gaze, co-author of the article. "Up to now, a lot of research efforts to tackle this problem have concerned hospitals and the reduction of clinical prescriptions, but we now know that the environment probably plays a role in the evolution and spread of antibiotic resistance. We all need to think more holistically about environmental waste management, including how we treat our wastewater. "
The researchers found that even the low concentrations of antibiotics that enter this environment increase antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria can enter the environment through toilet waste or through the improper disposal of antibiotics. The bacterium then spreads, contaminating watersheds and increasing the risk of communicable infections to humans through close contact with infected animals or contaminated environments.
The results also provide insight into the evolution of antimicrobial resistance in the body. If even small doses of antibiotics increase the risk of resistant bacteria, then antibiotics entering a person's intestinal biome could increase the likelihood that these antibiotics will not work.
"Already, some commonly prescribed antibiotics are beginning to prove ineffective for some infections," said Aimee Murray, chief research officer. "Our research sheds new light on how this problem can spread, and provides new evidence of the steps we must take to target the environment in order to try to stop this global problem. We now need more research to check if microbes develop resistance to antibiotics when they are exposed to low concentrations in other media than wastewater, such as in different parts of the body. "[19659016] – Kay Vandette Earth.com Staff Writer
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