The risk is that doctors will choose a broad-spectrum antibiotic—a powerful drug that kills many different types of bacteria. These drugs should be a last resort, because bacteria mutating to resist them can be dangerous—and potentially untreatable.
Wastewater monitoring can reveal what bacteria are spreading in the community and to which antibiotics these bugs are vulnerable. And if scientists notice an increase in genes that confer resistance to a particular antibiotic, they can advise doctors in the area to avoid prescribing that drug, Kirby said.
We can also use water monitoring to track how antibiotic resistance genes can contaminate the environment. “When we take a course of antibiotics, up to 90% of it is excreted… in the feces or urine and can end up in our sewer system,” says Leonard. And some of this wastewater can end up in rivers, lakes, and seas.
This means we not only have the potential to release our own AMR bacteria into the environment, but we could also encourage the growth of new antibiotic-resistant bacteria in surface waters and animal habitats. object. And these bacteria, or at least their antibiotic-resistant genes, can return to humans.
Leonard looked for antibiotic resistance in coastal waters around England, Wales and Northern Ireland. She discovered that people who spend a lot of time in the water—such as surfers—are more likely to have antibiotic-resistant bacteria in their gut. “Beachers are three times more likely to carry these resistant bacteria than people who don’t swim,” she said.
That’s not a very nice thought. Especially because even if these bugs don’t cause disease in humans, they still have the ability to swap genes with other bacteria in a person’s gut. And we don’t really know whether certain harmful, drug-resistant bacteria lead to results.
My covid test came back negative — I could have a common cold. I know I also have billions of bugs in my gut and throughout my body, some of which are resistant to antibiotics. I hope they won’t become any dangerous people.
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Responding to covid involves focus, determination, and huge amounts of money. We should use the same approach to tackle drug resistance, Maryn McKenna Written in 2021.
