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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Plastic pollution and fungal, protozoan, and helminth pathogens – A neglected environmental and public health issue?
ClearFungal plastiphily and its link to generic virulence traits makes environmental microplastics a global health factor
This meta-analysis reveals that microplastics in soil serve as hotspots where disease-causing fungi accumulate and thrive. The findings are concerning because many of the fungi that colonize microplastics share traits with human pathogens, suggesting that plastic pollution may be creating new breeding grounds for infectious disease in the environment.
Fungal plastiphily and its link to generic virulence traits makes environmental microplastics a global health factor
This meta-analysis reveals that fungi, including species that cause human infections, are attracted to microplastics in the environment. Microplastics provide tiny habitats where disease-causing fungi can accumulate and potentially evolve, suggesting that the trillions of microplastic particles in our environment may be increasing our exposure to fungal pathogens.
Colonization of Plastic Marine Debris
This review examines a decade of research on the 'Plastisphere,' the thin microbial community that colonizes plastic marine debris, addressing what is known, unknown, and possibly unknowable about this ecosystem. It highlights the shift from early bacteria-focused studies toward broader recognition of eukaryotes and complex microbial consortia including symbiotic, parasitic, and predator-prey relationships shaping Plastisphere structure.
Survival of human enteric and respiratory viruses on plastics in soil, freshwater, and marine environments
Researchers investigated the survival of human enteric and respiratory viruses on plastic surfaces in soil, freshwater, and marine environments. The study found that plastics and microplastics can harbor pathogenic viruses in addition to bacteria, suggesting that the so-called plastisphere may serve as a previously underappreciated pathway for the transmission of human pathogens in the environment.
Microbial hitchhikers on marine plastic debris: Human exposure risks at bathing waters and beach environments.
This review examines how marine plastic debris serves as a habitat for microbial communities including potential pathogens, a phenomenon called the Plastisphere, and assesses the human health risks when plastic-associated microbes reach bathing waters and beaches. The authors conclude that plastic litter can amplify microbial hazards to public health in coastal recreation areas.
Trophically Transmitted Parasites and Their Responses to Microbial Pathogens and Consumed Plastic Contaminants
Researchers reviewed how trophically transmitted parasites respond to stressors including microplastic contaminants and microbial pathogens, finding that plastic exposure can disrupt host-parasite dynamics by altering host microbiomes and immune responses. The interactions add complexity to understanding parasite infection success in polluted environments.
Characterization and Human Health Risk Assessment of Fungal Species Isolated from Landfill Soil in Najaf Ashraf, Iraq
Researchers isolated fungal species from microplastic surfaces collected in environmental samples and characterized their diversity and human health risks, finding that certain opportunistic fungal pathogens were enriched on plastic surfaces compared to surrounding water and sediment.
The Eukaryotic Life on Microplastics in Brackish Ecosystems
Researchers investigated the eukaryotic organisms that colonize microplastic surfaces in brackish waters of the Baltic Sea region using genetic sequencing. They found more than 500 different taxa on microplastic surfaces, but the communities were distinct from those on natural wood surfaces or in surrounding water, with lower overall diversity. Notably, the potentially harmful dinoflagellate Pfiesteria was enriched on microplastic surfaces, suggesting that plastic debris could serve as a vehicle for spreading harmful organisms in aquatic ecosystems.
Dynamics and functions of microbial communities in the plastisphere in temperate coastal environments
Researchers explored microbial communities colonizing microplastics in coastal environments of Japan, comparing bacterial and fungal communities across different plastic types, water, sediment, and sand. The study found that while microbial communities varied by sample type and location rather than plastic shape, microplastics harbored hydrocarbon-degrading organisms as well as potential pathogens, highlighting the ecological significance of plastic-associated biofilms.
The ecology of the plastisphere: Microbial composition, function, assembly, and network in the freshwater and seawater ecosystems
Researchers studied the communities of bacteria and fungi that colonize microplastic surfaces in freshwater and seawater, forming what scientists call the plastisphere. These microplastic-associated communities were distinctly different from those in surrounding water, and included a higher proportion of disease-causing organisms and species involved in pollutant degradation. The findings suggest that microplastics create new habitats that can harbor pathogens and alter natural microbial ecosystems in ways that may affect water quality and human health.
The Culturable Mycobiota of Sediments and Associated Microplastics: From a Harbor to a Marine Protected Area, a Comparative Study
Researchers investigated fungal diversity in sediments and microplastic surfaces at three Mediterranean sites with varying anthropogenic impact -- a harbor, a marine protected area, and an intermediate site -- culturing 1,526 isolates and finding that microplastics harbor distinct fungal assemblages compared to surrounding sediments, with several species recorded for the first time in marine environments.
Microplastic effects in aquatic ecosystems with special reference to fungi–zooplankton interaction: identification of knowledge gaps and prioritization of research needs
This review identifies a largely unexplored gap in microplastic research: how plastic pollution affects aquatic fungi and their interactions with zooplankton. Because fungi play critical roles in breaking down dead organic matter and serving as food for zooplankton, disruptions caused by microplastics — which can physically resemble fungal spores in size — could have cascading effects on freshwater food webs and nutrient cycling. The authors call for targeted experiments to fill this knowledge gap and better predict ecosystem-level impacts of microplastic contamination.
Microplastics accumulate fungal pathogens in terrestrial ecosystems
Microplastics in terrestrial ecosystems serve as selective microhabitats that accumulate distinct fungal communities, including opportunistic human pathogens such as cryptococcal and Phoma-like species, making plastic waste a persistent reservoir and potential vector for fungal infections in soil environments.
Terrestrial plastisphere as unique niches for fungal communities
Researchers used 125 laboratory experiments to compare the fungi living on microplastics versus nearby soil, finding that microplastic surfaces host distinct fungal communities enriched in Penicillium and the potentially harmful pathogen Alternaria. These "plastisphere" fungal communities were less shaped by environmental conditions than soil communities, suggesting microplastics may create isolated niches that concentrate certain fungi and potentially reduce local biodiversity.
The threat of microplastics and microbial degradation potential; a current perspective
This review covers the growing threat of microplastics in marine environments, where they enter the food chain and can transfer to humans along with pathogenic organisms, causing various toxic effects. The paper also explores how bacteria and fungi found in ocean environments could be harnessed to biodegrade different types of plastics as a future strategy for reducing microplastic pollution.
Quantifying the importance of plastic pollution for the dissemination of human pathogens: The challenges of choosing an appropriate ‘control’ material
Researchers reviewed published studies that detected human pathogens on environmental plastic pollution and critically examined the challenge of selecting appropriate control materials for plastisphere experiments. They found that no single control material is ideal for all studies, making it difficult to determine whether plastics promote pathogen survival more than natural substrates. The study calls for standardized experimental approaches to better quantify the role of plastic pollution in spreading human pathogens.
Plastiphily is linked to generic virulence traits of important human pathogenic fungi
A study of soil near human dwellings found that microplastics selectively attract and concentrate dangerous fungal pathogens, including species that cause serious human infections. The microplastic surfaces essentially act as tiny habitats where disease-causing fungi accumulate and may develop enhanced survival traits. This suggests that the trillions of microplastic particles in soil could be amplifying the spread of fungal infections, adding a new dimension to microplastic health risks.
Plastic pollution and infectious diseases
Researchers reviewed how plastic pollution contributes to the spread of infectious diseases. The study suggests that plastic debris holding water can encourage arthropod-borne diseases by providing habitats for disease vectors, and that microplastic and nanoplastic particles may also interact with pathogens in ways that affect disease transmission in both humans and livestock.
Plastisphere - a new habitat of microbial community: Composition, structure and ecological consequences
This review examines the plastisphere — microbial communities colonizing microplastics — covering the composition and structure of plastisphere microbiomes across marine, freshwater, and terrestrial environments and discussing ecological consequences including pathogen dispersal.
Plastics and Microplastics as Vectors for Bacteria and Human Pathogens
This study reviewed how marine plastic debris serves as a surface for bacterial colonization, including human pathogens, and examined the novel communities forming on plastic surfaces. The research raises public health concerns about microplastics acting as rafts that transport harmful bacteria to new locations, including to seafood and coastal recreational areas.
Dynamics and implications of biofilm formation and community succession on floating marine plastic debris
Researchers examined how biofilms form on plastic debris in aquatic environments and how the resulting microbial communities evolve over time, finding that the plastisphere hosts distinct microbial assemblages including potential pathogens. The study has implications for understanding plastic debris as a vector for microbial dispersal.
The Role of Marine Fungi in Degradation of Microplastic and Plastics – a Review
This review examines the role of marine fungi in the biodegradation of microplastics and bulk plastics, synthesising literature on over 400 known plastic-degrading microorganism species and highlighting the most significant fungal groups capable of decomposing plastic materials in marine environments.
Pathogens transported by plastic debris: does this vector pose a risk to aquatic organisms?
This review examined whether microplastics act as vectors for pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens in marine and freshwater ecosystems. Evidence indicates that diverse microorganisms including pathogens adhere to microplastic surfaces, and modeling suggested potential for long-range pathogen transport, though the scale of ecological and public health risk remains uncertain.
The impact of microplastics on small organism dispersal: mechanisms, risks, and research gaps
This review examines how microplastics may influence the dispersal of small organisms, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and insects, by serving as physical carriers across ecosystems. Researchers describe how biofilms that form on microplastic surfaces can harbor and transport pathogenic microorganisms to new locations. The study identifies this as an underexplored area with significant implications for disease ecology and biosecurity.