By analyzing the wastewater samples received by DTU from 243 cities in 101 countries between 2016 and 2019, researchers have now mapped where in the world the occurrence of resistance genes is greatest, how the genes are located and in which types of bacteria they are found. .
The results of a new metagenomic study – just published in Nature Communications – have surprised researchers. In fact, the study shows that the genes have appeared in many different genetic contexts and types of bacteria, indicating a greater shift than the researchers had expected.
“We have found similar resistance genes in very different types of bacteria. We find it worrying when genes can transfer from a very broad group of bacteria to a completely different group with which there is no similarity. It is rare that these gene transfers occur over such long distances. It is a bit like very different animal species produce offspring,” explains the assistant professor Patrick Munk.
If the genes are in bacteria that don’t usually make people sick — like lactic acid bacteria — that’s less of a concern. However, if resistance genes find their way into bacteria important to human health – such as salmonella – it’s a completely different story.
“This makes it much more likely that the bacteria will actually kill people – for example in the hospital – because there is no treatment available,” emphasizes Patrick Munk.
Hotspots for transmission of resistance genes
In different places in sub-Saharan Africa, researchers have found the same resistance gene in several different bacteria.
“We interpret this to mean that we may be quite close to the point of transmission, where the gene is transferred from one to another to a third bacterium. That’s why we see the gene in so many different contexts right there,” explains Patrick Munk.
He adds that many of the surprising infections appear to be occurring in sub-Saharan Africa. These are also the countries with the least developed programs for monitoring resistance, which means that there is very little information about the resistance situation.
“We risk missing important trends because we don’t have the data,” he suggests, emphasizing that robust data is exactly what is needed to develop effective strategies to combat resistance:
“At the moment we have a huge amount of information about how resistance behaves in the West and – based on this information – we plan how to fight resistance. Now it turns out that if we look at new places, resistance genes can very well behave differently – probably because they have more favorable shipping conditions. Therefore, the way you resist must also be adjusted and tailored to local conditions.”
HT
Source: ANIe
Source: The Nordic Page