We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Antimicrobial resistance in aquatic ecosystems: Sources, transmission pathways, ecological impacts, and mitigation strategies
AI summary Read the abstract
This review pulls together existing research showing that rivers, lakes, and wastewater aren't just passive dumping grounds for antibiotics and drug-resistant bacteria—they're actually breeding grounds where these germs mix, swap resistance traits, and become even harder to treat, especially when microplastics and other pollutants are present alongside antibiotics. This matters because these "supercharged" resistant bacteria can reach you through drinking water, seafood, or swimming, making common infections harder to cure with standard antibiotics. The authors argue that better wastewater treatment and pollution control are key to slowing this spread before it further thre
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as one of the most critical global health and environmental challenges of the twenty-first century, with aquatic ecosystems increasingly recognized as important reservoirs and dissemination pathways for antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB), antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and mobile genetic elements (MGEs). Aquatic environments receive continuous inputs of antibiotics and resistant microorganisms from anthropogenic activities, including municipal wastewater discharge, hospital effluents, agricultural runoff, livestock production, aquaculture practices, and pharmaceutical manufacturing. The persistence of these contaminants in water columns, sediments, and biofilms creates selective pressure that promotes the maintenance, evolution, and horizontal transfer of resistance determinants among diverse microbial communities. Furthermore, the coexistence of antibiotics with heavy metals, disinfectants, microplastics, and other environmental pollutants enhances co-selection processes and accelerates the emergence of multidrug-resistant microorganisms. Aquatic ecosystems therefore function not only as passive reservoirs but also as active evolutionary hotspots facilitating resistance dissemination across environmental, animal, and human interfaces. Transmission of resistant bacteria and ARGs may occur through drinking water, seafood consumption, recreational activities, and occupational exposure, highlighting the importance of the One Health perspective in understanding environmental AMR dynamics. This review comprehensively examines the major sources, transmission mechanisms, ecological consequences, public health implications, and mitigation strategies associated with AMR in aquatic ecosystems. Strengthening environmental surveillance, improving wastewater management, promoting sustainable aquaculture practices, and implementing integrated One Health interventions are essential for mitigating the global spread of antimicrobial resistance and protecting ecosystem and public health.
More Papers Like This
Role of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) genes in the dissemination of β-lactam resistance within aquatic environments: mechanisms, persistence, and one health implications
AI summary Read the abstract
This review pulls together existing research showing that rivers, lakes, and other water systems aren't just passive dumping grounds for antibiotic-resistant bacteria, they're active breeding grounds where resistance genes spread and evolve, including within biofilms and on microplastic surfaces. This matters because these drug-resistant bacteria can make their way back to humans, potentially making common infections harder to treat with standard antibiotics.
Microplastic-mediated antimicrobial resistance in aquatic environments: plastisphere dynamics, ecological risks, and mitigation strategies
AI summary Read the abstract
Tiny plastic particles floating in water aren't just pollution—they act like rafts where bacteria gather and swap genes that make them resistant to antibiotics, potentially making infections harder to treat. This review paper rounds up existing research on how this happens and compares different water treatment methods (like filtration and chemical treatments) that could remove both the plastics and the resistant bacteria at once. The takeaway: tackling microplastic pollution in our water systems may be an important, underappreciated tool for slowing the spread of antibiotic-resistant infections.
[Pollution Situation and Transmission Risks of Antibiotic Resistance within the Plastisphere in the Aquatic Environment].
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines how microplastics serve as a new ecological niche for antibiotic-resistant bacteria in aquatic environments, creating what researchers call the plastisphere. Microplastics interact with heavy metals, antibiotics, and other pollutants while migrating through water systems and food chains, potentially accelerating the spread of antibiotic resistance genes. The study highlights the plastisphere as a hotspot for resistance gene transfer, posing threats to both human health and urban ecosystems.
Antibiotic and Non-Antibiotic Determinants of Antimicrobial Resistance: Insights from Water Ecosystems
AI summary Read the abstract
This review explains how non-antibiotic pollutants like heavy metals, biocides, and microplastics are contributing to antibiotic resistance in water systems, beyond the well-known problem of antibiotic overuse. Wastewater treatment plants are hotspots where these pollutants interact with bacteria, promoting the spread of resistance genes through mobile genetic elements. The findings are concerning for human health because drug-resistant bacteria from water environments can ultimately reach people through drinking water and food.
Microplastics in fresh- and wastewater are potential contributors to antibiotic resistance - A minireview
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed the link between microplastic pollution and the spread of antibiotic resistance in freshwater environments, finding that microplastic surfaces host unique bacterial communities enriched in antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the resistance genes they can share with other microbes. The close packing of bacteria in these plastic-surface biofilms may accelerate the spread of drug-resistant pathogens through drinking water sources, though the full health implications remain poorly understood.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.