Towards monitoring of antimicrobial resistance in the environment: For what reasons, how to implement it, and what are the data needs?
Reviewartikel, 2023

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global threat to human and animal health and well-being. To understand AMR dynamics, it is important to monitor resistant bacteria and resistance genes in all relevant settings. However, while monitoring of AMR has been implemented in clinical and veterinary settings, comprehensive monitoring of AMR in the environment is almost completely lacking. Yet, the environmental dimension of AMR is critical for understanding the dissemination routes and selection of resistant microorganisms, as well as the human health risks related to environmental AMR. Here, we outline important knowledge gaps that impede implementation of environmental AMR monitoring. These include lack of knowledge of the ‘normal’ background levels of environmental AMR, definition of high-risk environments for transmission, and a poor understanding of the concentrations of antibiotics and other chemical agents that promote resistance selection. Furthermore, there is a lack of methods to detect resistance genes that are not already circulating among pathogens. We conclude that these knowledge gaps need to be addressed before routine monitoring for AMR in the environment can be implemented on a large scale. Yet, AMR monitoring data bridging different sectors is needed in order to fill these knowledge gaps, which means that some level of national, regional and global AMR surveillance in the environment must happen even without all scientific questions answered. With the possibilities opened up by rapidly advancing technologies, it is time to fill these knowledge gaps. Doing so will allow for specific actions against environmental AMR development and spread to pathogens and thereby safeguard the health and wellbeing of humans and animals.

Antibiotic resistance

AMR

Transmission

One-health

Infectious diseases

Surveillance

Författare

Johan Bengtsson-Palme

Göteborgs universitet

Chalmers, Life sciences, Systembiologi

Anna Abramova

Göteborgs universitet

Chalmers, Life sciences, Systembiologi

Thomas U. Berendonk

Technische Universität Dresden

Luis P. Coelho

Fudan University

Sofia K. Forslund

European Molecular Biology Laboratory

Deutsches Zentrum für Herz-Kreislauf-Forschung e. V.

Max Delbrueck Centrum Fuer Molekulare Medizin

Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin

Rémi Gschwind

Université Paris Descartes

Annamari Heikinheimo

Finnish Food Authority

Eläinlääketieteellinen Tiedekunta

Víctor Hugo Jarquín-Díaz

Max Delbrueck Centrum Fuer Molekulare Medizin

Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin

Ayaz Ali Khan

University of Malakand

Quaid-i-Azam University

Uli Klümper

Technische Universität Dresden

Ulrike Löber

Max Delbrueck Centrum Fuer Molekulare Medizin

Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin

Marmar Nekoro

Medical Products Agency

Adriana D. Osińska

Norges miljø- og biovitenskapelige universitet

Svetlana Ugarcina Perovic

Fudan University

Tarja Pitkänen

Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare

Eläinlääketieteellinen Tiedekunta

Ernst Kristian Rødland

Norwegian Institute of Public Health

Etienne Ruppé

Université Paris Descartes

Yngvild Wasteson

Norges miljø- og biovitenskapelige universitet

Astrid Louise Wester

Norwegian Institute of Public Health

Rabaab Zahra

Quaid-i-Azam University

Environment International

0160-4120 (ISSN) 1873-6750 (eISSN)

Vol. 178 108089

Framtidens patogener och resistensgener

Stiftelsen för Strategisk forskning (SSF) (FFL21-0174), 2022-08-01 -- 2027-12-31.

Etablering av normalnivåer för antibiotikaresistens i olika miljöer för miljöövervakning

Vetenskapsrådet (VR) (2019-00299), 2022-05-01 -- 2023-12-31.

Ämneskategorier

Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi

DOI

10.1016/j.envint.2023.108089

PubMed

37441817

Mer information

Senast uppdaterat

2023-07-27