Antibiotic Resistance Increasing Evidence
Topic: Medical Research and News
Author: American Chemical Society
Published: 2010/03/03 - Updated: 2015/03/31
Contents: Summary - Introduction - Main Item - Related Topics
Synopsis: Soil microbes have become progressively more resistant to antibiotics over the last 60 years.
Introduction
Evidence of increasing antibiotic resistance - A team of scientists in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands are reporting disturbing evidence that soil microbes have become progressively more resistant to antibiotics over the last 60 years.
Main Item
Surprisingly, this trend continues despite apparent more stringent rules on use of antibiotics in medicine and agriculture, and improved sewage treatment technology that broadly improves water quality in surrounding environments.
Their report appears in ACS' bi-weekly journal Environmental Science and Technology.
David Graham and colleagues note that, although scientists have known for years that resistance was increasing in clinical situations, this is the first study to quantify the same problem in the natural environment over long time-scales.
They express concern that increased antibiotic resistance in soils could have broad consequences to public health through potential exposure through water and food supplies.
Their results "imply there may be a progressively increasing chance of encountering organisms in nature that are resistant to antimicrobial therapy."
The study involved an analysis of 18 different antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) to four different classes of antibiotics in soil samples collected in the Netherlands from 1940 to 2008.
ARGs are genes chosen to assess potential changes in resistance in microbes.
Using data from sites around the Netherlands, the scientists found increasing levels in 78 percent of the ARG tested, clearly indicating increased potential for resistance over time.
Because soil samples were only collected from the Netherlands, the scientists conclude their report by suggesting that further studies need be performed around the world so that the scope and possible ramifications of their results can be better understood.
Explore Related Topics
1 - Genetic Link Discovered: Down Syndrome and Increased Leukemia Risk in Children - Findings from the study underscore importance of understanding the relationship between genetics and cellular environment of blood cells in those with Down Syndrome.
2 - How $4 Billion Funded Covid-19 Treatments and Lifesaving Vaccines - The NIH is the largest public funder of biomedical research, so we believe it was vital to study how $4 billion of NIH funding was allocated and used during the pandemic.
3 - Unlocking the Secrets: Scientists Decode the Silent Conversation Between Your Eyes and Ears - Eye movements can be decoded by the sounds they generate in the ear, meaning your hearing may be affected by vision..
4 - Remote Learning Aids Medical Students With Disabilities During Pandemic - Despite an increase in medical students reporting a disability, requests for testing accommodations decreased during the pandemic.
5 - Proprioception Our Sixth Sense Genes - If we can better understand our sixth sense, our particular sensory neurons, it will be possible to develop novel therapies that effectively counteract these and other types of skeletal damage.
Page Information, Citing and Disclaimer
Disabled World is a comprehensive online resource that provides information and news related to disabilities, assistive technologies, and accessibility issues. Founded in 2004 our website covers a wide range of topics, including disability rights, healthcare, education, employment, and independent living, with the goal of supporting the disability community and their families.
Cite This Page (APA): American Chemical Society. (2010, March 3 - Last revised: 2015, March 31). Antibiotic Resistance Increasing Evidence. Disabled World. Retrieved October 9, 2024 from www.disabled-world.com/medical/antibiotic-resistance.php
Permalink: <a href="https://www.disabled-world.com/medical/antibiotic-resistance.php">Antibiotic Resistance Increasing Evidence</a>: Soil microbes have become progressively more resistant to antibiotics over the last 60 years.
Disabled World provides general information only. Materials presented are never meant to substitute for qualified medical care. Any 3rd party offering or advertising does not constitute an endorsement.