Scientists Look For Antibiotic-Resistant Germs In Raw Sewage

Published on by in Case Studies

Scientists Look For Antibiotic-Resistant Germs In Raw Sewage

Humanity is rapidly approaching a post-antibiotic era. Overuse of these miracle drugs has contributed to the emergence of many bacterial strains that are resistant to once-effective treatments.

By Jonathan Lambert

sewage.jpg
Representative Image Source: Pixabay, labeled for reuse 

A study published in Science Advances journal highlights how tracking antibiotic-resistance genes in bacteria found in urban wastewater treatment plants could help scientists and public health officials get a fast and accurate picture of resistance in a city.

Read more about the very same study from another angle in our Wastewater Management group in the article titled Wastewa­ter Re­veals the Levels Of An­ti­bi­otic Res­ist­ance in a Re­gion.

Reference:

Katariina M. M. Pärnänen et al, " Antibiotic resistance in European wastewater treatment plants mirrors the pattern of clinical antibiotic resistance prevalence", Science Ad vances , March 2019, DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aau9124 

Read more on this research in the article published for National Public Radio

Earlier this ​month,  ​researchers at ​the University ​of Southern ​California ​Viterbi School ​of Engineering ​proved ​that low ​concentrations ​of a single ​type of ​antibiotic can ​lead to ​resistance to ​multiple ​classes of ​antibiotics. ​Read about it ​HERE.

Media

Taxonomy