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Soil studies reveal rise in antibiotic resistance
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Bacterial DNA extracted from soil samples collected between 1940 and 2008 has revealed an increase in background levels of antibiotic resistant genes, according to data from Newcastle University researchers.
David Graham, who led the research, said the findings suggest an emerging threat to public and environmental health in the future.
Published in the academic journal Environmental Science and Technology, the report uses data taken from five sites in the Netherlands.
The researchers concluded that 78% of genes from four classes of antibiotics showed increasing levels since 1940 — despite continued efforts to reduce environmental levels.
Graham said the next step would be to analyze soil samples from other parts of the world, although he expects to see similar results.
“The big question is that with more stringent European regulations and greater emphasis on conservative antibiotic use in agriculture and medicine, why are antibiotic resistant gene levels still rising?” he said.
More complementary studies are needed between environmental and public health researchers to determine whether this increasing pool of resistance is actually contributing to harmful bacteria, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Graham said.
Knapp CW. Environ Sci Technol. 2010;44(2): 580–587.