Improperly treated wastewater could increase drug resistance

Singer AC. Environ Health Perspect. 2011;doi:10.1289/ehp.1002757.

Improperly treated wastewater, combined with widespread use of medications to treat people affected by an influenza pandemic, could increase chances of drug resistance in the community, according to a study published online.

Andrew C. Singer, PhD, of the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom, and other researchers used a “globally spatially structured epidemic model” to project estimates of drug-use patterns, as well as their biological release into wastewater treatment plants. They used these measurements to predict potential contamination to receiving rivers.

Although a mild pandemic would not likely increase toxicity in rivers, toxicity in rivers during a more severe pandemic could climb as high as 30% potentially affected fraction (PAF), “where PAF is the fraction of microbial species predicted to be growth-inhibited."

“There is growing evidence to suggest that high concentrations of neuraminidase inhibitors in wastewater treatment plants and the environment might increase the risk of disrupting microbial biofilms, which has implications for biofilms stability and the removal of nutrients from wastewater prior to discharge into receiving rivers,” the researchers said.

Ecotoxic effects during a severe pandemic could be severe, including antiviral and antibiotic resistance, poor-quality drinking water and river pollution, they said.

Disclosure: The research was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council – Knowledge Transfer Initiative.

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