Scientists find bacteria in Beijing smog that lead to antibiotic resistance

[Gert van der Hoek]

Findings are reason for global concern, warn study’s authors


Friday, 25 November, 2016

Scientists have identified bacterial genes that lead to antibiotic resistance, including several that can be resistant to most powerful antibiotics, in air samples from Beijing, which is frequently cloaked in heavy smog,
Researchers from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden analysed 864 DNA samples taken from humans, animals and environments worldwide and found Beijing smog carried the largest number and types of genes identical or highly similar to antibiotic resistance genes (ARG).

Microbial communities from Beijing smog harboured as many as 64.4 different types of ARG.
The researchers also identified in the Beijing smog metagenomes that contained several genes resistant to carbapenems, a class of last-resort antibiotics for treating challenging bacterial infections.

Although they did not know the proportion of live bacteria in the smog, the presence of many resistance genes “calls for concern given the global threat of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae’, the study’s authors warned in the journal Microbiome, where their findings were published.

READ MORE

[Emily]

That's very interesting, Gert. Air pollution certainly increases respiratory tract illnesses and likely antibiotic use which creates resistance, so this sounds like a vicious cycle.