Wastewater in South Europe Contains more Resistant Bacteria Than in North Europe (Water News Europe)

Southern Europeans use more antibiotics and they tend to carry a higher number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria than people in northern Europe. According to a recent international study in seven European countries, the use of antibiotics mirror concentrations of resistant bacteria in wastewater. Higher concentrations of resistant bacteria are found in wastewater treatment plants in Southern European countries.

Wastewater Treatment Plants in South Europe receive more wastewater with antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
(Photo: Water News Europe)

The study was published at the end of March in Science Advances and was conducted in Portugal, Spain, Cyprus, Ireland, Finland, Norway, and Germany. All of the countries investigated in the study had various antibiotic resistance genes in the wastewater entering their treatment plants. The number of resistance genes found in wastewater treatment plants (WWTP’s) was higher in Portugal, Spain, Cyprus, and Ireland than in Finland, Norway, and Germany.

Control measures

The study compared the influent and final effluent of twelve WWTPs. The researchers analyzed 229 resistance genes and 25 mobile genetic elements and concluded only modern wastewater treatment plants seem to be able to eliminate antibiotic resistance efficiently. The trans-Europe surveillance showed that antibiotic use, environmental temperature and the size of the WWTP are important factors related to resistance persistence and spread in the environment. According to the researchers, these results show regular surveillance and control measures should be fit for geographic regions.

Reference:

 K.M.M. Pärnänen el al., "Antibiotic resistance in European wastewater treatment plants mirrors the pattern of clinical antibiotic resistance prevalence," Science Advances (2019). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aau9124

Read more about this study in the link below.

---

READ MORE ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE ON ​THE WATER ​NETWORK: ​

• Scientists ​Look For ​Antibiotic-​Resistant Germs ​In Raw ​Sewage
• Antibiotic Resistance Is Spreading from Wastewater Treatment Plants
• Wastewa­​ter Re­​veals the ​Levels Of ​An­ti­​bi­otic ​Res­ist­​ance in a ​Re­gion ​

Media

Taxonomy

• Public Health
• Disease
• Bacteria
• Disease Prevention
• Drinking Water Security
• Environmental Health
• Water Pollution
• Treatment
• Waste Water Treatments
• Wastewater Treatment
• Environment
• Wastewater Treatment Plant Design
• Bacteria Control
• Antibiotics