We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Microplastics as emerging reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance: Clinical relevance and environmental mechanisms
Summary
This review examines how microplastics act as environmental reservoirs for antibiotic resistance genes, creating selective microenvironments through antibiotic and metal adsorption, biofilm formation, and horizontal gene transfer, with potential pathways to clinical human exposure.
Antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) are found in microplastics, which are becoming more widely acknowledged as environmental substrates that may link ecological reservoirs to human illness. These particles create selective microenvironments by adsorbing antibiotics, metals, and biocides, promoting the creation of biofilms, and facilitating horizontal gene transfer. Human exposure through ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact is a problem due to the prevalence of microplastics in aquatic, terrestrial, airborne, and food-chain systems. This review highlights methodological limitations, synthesizes current understanding of the environmental mechanisms and clinical significance of ARGs linked to microplastics, and underscores the need for interdisciplinary surveillance and action. It identifies policy gaps and proposes integrated approaches to mitigate risks at the intersection of plastic pollution and antibiotic resistance within a one health paradigm.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Microplastics are a hotspot for antibiotic resistance genes: Progress and perspective
This review examines growing evidence that microplastics serve as hotspots for antibiotic resistance genes in the environment. Researchers found that microplastics selectively accumulate antibiotic-resistant bacteria and resistance genes on their surfaces across wastewater, aquatic, and terrestrial environments. The dense bacterial communities and concentrated pollutants on microplastic surfaces create favorable conditions for the spread and evolution of antibiotic resistance, raising concerns about potential risks to human health.
A review on the effect of micro- and nano-plastics pollution on the emergence of antimicrobial resistance
This review highlights how microplastics serve as breeding grounds for antimicrobial resistance genes, examining the overlooked interaction between plastic pollution and antibiotic resistance that poses combined threats to environmental and human health.
Microplastics and Their Role in the Maintenance and Spread of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Marine Ecosystems
This review examines the role of microplastics in maintaining and spreading antibiotic resistance genes in marine ecosystems, synthesizing evidence that plastic pollution in aquatic environments creates reservoirs for antimicrobial resistant bacteria and facilitates horizontal gene transfer.
[Influencing Factors and Mechanisms of Antibiotic Resistance Gene Enrichment by Microplastics in the Environment].
This review examines how microplastics in the environment serve as carriers for antibiotic resistance genes, enriching and spreading resistant bacteria across air, soil, water, and sediments. Researchers found that the type, surface characteristics, and aging of microplastics all influence how effectively they accumulate resistance genes and facilitate horizontal gene transfer. The findings highlight the need to consider microplastics as an important vector in the environmental spread of antibiotic resistance.
A review focusing on mechanisms and ecological risks of enrichment and propagation of antibiotic resistance genes and mobile genetic elements by microplastic biofilms
This review examines how microplastics in water serve as surfaces for bacterial biofilms that harbor antibiotic resistance genes. The biofilms that form on microplastic surfaces can spread resistance genes to other bacteria and potentially to organisms that ingest them, including fish and ultimately humans. The authors highlight that microplastic-associated antibiotic resistance is an underappreciated public health risk that needs more research.