Antimicrobial resistance, especially resistance to antibiotics, is a global problem. A new study shows for the first time how consumption of antibiotics by whole populations affects individual health.
It is well known that widespread use of antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasitics leads to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), AMR is among the top 10 public health threats in the world. Misuse or overuse of antibiotics, in particular, contributes to the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria.
One of the main problems with antibiotics, in addition to ridding the body of pathogens, is that they also adversely affect natural flora. The gut microbiome consists of billions of bacteria and other microorganisms that live in the digestive tract. In healthy people, these microbes coexist without problems. However, long-term use of antibiotics can upset the balance of this symbiotic relationship, making the body more susceptible to disease.
AMR also has a genetic component. Bacteria of the same or different species share genes with each other through a process called horizontal gene transfer. AMR can occur when bacteria pass antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and horizontal gene transfer can occur within individuals and between bacterial strains in the environment. It can also occur between dead and living cells. As the bacteria multiply rapidly, resistance spreads.
Many studies have been conducted on the short-term effects of antibiotics on the gut microbiota. Still, its long-term effects on the general population have been poorly studied.
A new study examined how a population’s consumption of antibiotics affected the levels of ARGs found in that population. A sample of the endogenous microbiota was analyzed.
“Even healthy individuals who have not recently taken antibiotics are constantly attacked by microbes from the people and pets they interact with, which may have embedded resistance genes into their own microbiome. said Christopher Quince, lead author of the study.
We then compared the ARGs identified in the samples with those found in large genome collections to explore how genes moved between microbes and pathogens.
“We deliberately focused on samples from healthy people, or at least those who we could be sure were not taking antibiotics,” Quince said. In addition, we needed to confirm the genetic profile of the gut microbiota.”
After cataloging the number of ARGs they found, researchers combined the data into the Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database (CARD), a biological database that collects and organizes information about ARGs and their associated phenotypes (observable traits). compared. They identified a median of 16 of his AMR genes, and he found that the median of the gene varied in the 14 countries he investigated.
Using data from WHO and ResistanceMap, researchers showed a strong correlation between the frequency of ARGs in a country and levels of antibiotic consumption. ResistanceMap is a web-based collection of data visualization tools for interactive exploration of global trends in AMR and antibiotic use.
“We found that countries with more regular antibiotic use had a higher number of resistance genes in their gut microbiota,” said Quince.
The results of this study suggest that the number of ARGs in the gut is greatly influenced by the consumption of antibiotics in the population as a whole, regardless of a person’s health status or whether they are taking antibiotics.
“We’ve known for several years that antimicrobial resistance genes can spread incredibly rapidly among gut bacteria,” said study co-author Falk Hildebrand. increase. “This study is of great importance because it quantifies for the first time the impact of national antibiotic use on our commensal bacteria and gives insight into the common types of resistance that are expected to evolve. .”
The researchers hope the insights gained from their work will guide future treatments and the development of new antibacterial agents.
The study was published in a journal Nature Communications.
Source: Earlham Institute
