About this Research Topic
Water quality is extremely important for public health. Matrices like manures, biosolids, wastewater effluents, and reclaimed water contain antimicrobials (AMR) and antimicrobial-resistance determinants (ARDs). Land application of these matrices and direct discharges of feces and industrial wastes into surface waters introduce AMR and ARDs into the aquatic environment. There, enrichment and spread of naturally occurring and introduced ARDs can appear. Devising a logical and practical plan of action to mitigate development and spread of anthropogenically induced AMR not only requires assessing anthropogenic contributions of AMR and ARDs in various environmental matrices, but also:
1) understanding the role of various environmental compartments in AMR development and spread and
2) quantifying human and environmental health risks from AMR in these compartments.
Of significance is the development of strategies that can reduce or mitigate the release of AMR and ARD into the environment, since this would impact the point source of antimicrobial resistance. As noted recently by many authors and international organizations, although antimicrobial resistance is a global challenge, local action is necessary to reduce its spread through the environment.
The goal of this Research Topics will be to present papers exploring the transfer of bacterial mobile antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) within and across different environmental niches i.e. the “Transfer Network” of the mobile resistome and the forces driving mobile ARG transfer, with an emphasis on water as a conduit for the spread of clinical resistance traits of major concern.
This Research Topic focuses on studies that include Original Research, Perspective, Review, Minireview, and Opinion that investigate and discuss:
• Transfer network of the mobile resistome and the forces driving mobile ARG transfer in ecosystems
• Potential spread of ARGs within and across food webs and food chains
• Water as a conduit for ARGs between habitats
• Impacts of regional and international trade and transport on ARG dissemination
• Information on potential biomagnification of AMR in the food chain
• Linking prevalence and exposure data to risk analysis
• Surveillance and management of antimicrobials and antimicrobials resistance genes in the environment
• Mitigation technologies to reduce resistance in the environment
• Modelling patterns/impacts of antimicrobial use in food-producing animals and linking to prevalence of ARG in water, soil, air
1) understanding the role of various environmental compartments in AMR development and spread and
2) quantifying human and environmental health risks from AMR in these compartments.
Of significance is the development of strategies that can reduce or mitigate the release of AMR and ARD into the environment, since this would impact the point source of antimicrobial resistance. As noted recently by many authors and international organizations, although antimicrobial resistance is a global challenge, local action is necessary to reduce its spread through the environment.
The goal of this Research Topics will be to present papers exploring the transfer of bacterial mobile antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) within and across different environmental niches i.e. the “Transfer Network” of the mobile resistome and the forces driving mobile ARG transfer, with an emphasis on water as a conduit for the spread of clinical resistance traits of major concern.
This Research Topic focuses on studies that include Original Research, Perspective, Review, Minireview, and Opinion that investigate and discuss:
• Transfer network of the mobile resistome and the forces driving mobile ARG transfer in ecosystems
• Potential spread of ARGs within and across food webs and food chains
• Water as a conduit for ARGs between habitats
• Impacts of regional and international trade and transport on ARG dissemination
• Information on potential biomagnification of AMR in the food chain
• Linking prevalence and exposure data to risk analysis
• Surveillance and management of antimicrobials and antimicrobials resistance genes in the environment
• Mitigation technologies to reduce resistance in the environment
• Modelling patterns/impacts of antimicrobial use in food-producing animals and linking to prevalence of ARG in water, soil, air
Keywords: antimicrobial resistance gene/bacteria, horizontal gene transfer, water, toxicities, food chain
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
