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Aquaculture-driven antibiotic pollution — a critical and emerging threat to maritime health
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This review pulls together research showing that fish farms are releasing antibiotics into coastal waters, helping create drug-resistant bacteria. Microplastics make things worse by letting these bacteria swap resistance genes more easily, and warmer ocean temperatures add fuel to the fire. The result: seafood and coastal communities could become sources of infections that are harder to treat with existing antibiotics.
The rapid growth of global aquaculture poses significant environmental challenges, particularly through the release of antibiotic residues and antimicrobial-resistant bacteria (ARB) into coastal ecosystems. Intensive aquaculture systems, especially in Southeast Asia, frequently use antibiotics to manage infections in farmed species, leading to persistent pollutant discharge into marine environments, where antibiotic residues have been detected at environmentally relevant concentrations ranging from ng L⁻¹ to low µg L⁻¹ levels. This study underscores the urgent need for scientific and policy attention to address the intersection of aquaculture practices, environmental pollution, and public health risks associated with antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Research highlights the alarming proliferation of AMR in aquaculture-related bacteria, with quantitative evidence indicating resistance levels exceeding 50% for approximately one-third of antimicrobial compounds tested across Asia, exacerbated by the presence of microplastics which facilitate the transfer and accumulation of resistance genes among bacterial communities. Rising marine temperatures further enhance this challenge, correlating with increased levels of resistance in both aquaculture and clinical settings. Current maritime health frameworks inadequately address these risks, potentially transforming coastal areas into reservoirs for resistant bacteria, thereby threatening food safety and public health. This paper advocates for a coordinated, One-Health approach that incorporates systematic monitoring, stricter antibiotic regulations, research into alternative disease control measures, and the inclusion of marine AMR risks in public health policies. By implementing these strategies collaboratively, we can safeguard the health of marine ecosystems and the well-being of communities reliant on them.
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The nexus of microplastics, food and antimicrobial resistance in the context of aquatic environment: Interdisciplinary linkages of pathways
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This review examines how microplastics in aquatic environments serve as surfaces where bacteria can grow, share antibiotic resistance genes, and then enter the food chain through contaminated seafood. The combination of microplastic pollution and antimicrobial resistance creates a compounding threat, as resistant bacteria riding on plastic particles can survive water treatment and reach humans. The authors call for interdisciplinary research connecting environmental science and public health to address this growing risk.
Antibiotic resistant bacteria colonising microplastics in the aquatic environment: An emerging challenge
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Researchers reviewed how microplastics in aquatic environments act as surfaces where antibiotic-resistant bacteria can grow and swap resistance genes with each other, raising concern that contaminated seafood and water could transfer these hard-to-treat bacteria to humans.
Ocean warming shapes the marine plastisphere: Microbial assembly, vector effects, and biogeochemical feedbacks of microplastics
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Tiny plastic bits floating in the ocean aren't just pollution—they're becoming floating rafts where bacteria, including harmful germs and antibiotic-resistant genes, can hitch a ride and travel long distances. This review of existing research explains that warmer ocean waters may make this problem worse, potentially helping disease-causing microbes spread further and affecting seafood safety and ocean health in ways scientists are still working to fully understand.
Enrichment of Antibiotic Resistance Genes on Plastic Waste in Aquatic Ecosystems, Aquatic Animals, and Fishery Products
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This review examines how plastic waste in water creates surfaces where antibiotic-resistant bacteria thrive and share resistance genes with each other. Microplastics in rivers, oceans, and fish farms were consistently found to harbor more antibiotic resistance genes than natural materials like rocks or sand. Since fish and shellfish can accumulate these microplastic-associated resistant bacteria, there is a risk that drug-resistant infections could reach humans through the seafood supply chain.
Antimicrobial resistance in aquatic ecosystems: Sources, transmission pathways, ecological impacts, and mitigation strategies
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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
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