Abstract

RODRIGUEZ, Erika Andrea  and  JIMENEZ-QUICENO, Judy Natalia. Bacterial resistance in aquatic environments: origin and implications for public health. Rev. Fac. Nac. Salud Pública [online]. 2023, vol.41, n.3, e03.  Epub Nov 16, 2023. ISSN 0120-386X.  https://doi.org/10.17533/udea.rfnsp.e351453.

The alarming increase in bacterial resistance to antibiotics globally has diluted sources other than the hospital and community, where water has taken on great importance. The aquatic environment is the source and natural habitat of a large number of microorganisms, including antibiotic-resistant bacteria, as well as being considered one of the main receptors for antimicrobials, resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes from human activities. Contamination of water with these emerging contaminants has serious implications for human health related to the spread of bacterial resistance and the emergence of new resistance mechanisms. This review provides a global description of the role of aquatic environments in the problem of bacterial resistance, the main sources of contamination, as well as the impact on Public Health. In this context, the need arises to address the problem of bacterial resistance from the perspective of “one health”, where traditional surveillance, focused at the human and veterinary level, is articulated with environmental epidemiological surveillance, mainly in wastewater.

Keywords : antimicrobial resistance; water pollution; antibiotics; antibiotic resistant bacteria wastewater-based epidemiological surveillance; public health.

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