Fighting contamination could also be useful in tackling growing resistance to antibiotics. This is confirmed by a new study that, after analyzing data from 116 countries between 2000 and 2018, concludes that there is a link between both factors: increases in air pollution correlate with an increase in levels of antimicrobial resistance.. Details of the work are published in The Lancet Planetary Health journal.
The decades-long abuse of antibiotics is the main cause of bacterial resistance to these treatments, a problem that threatens to derail many of the advances in modern medicine.. However, in addition to this cause, there are other factors that also contribute to the expansion of these resistances.. Air pollution is one of them.. There is evidence that contaminating particles may contain both resistant bacteria and parts of these microorganisms.. These particles can be easily transferred from one medium to another, as well as be inhaled by people and other animals, which contributes to their spread.. Until now, there was no concrete data on the role of this pathway in contributing to antibiotic resistance, but this new study led by Hong Chen, from Zhejiang University (China), helps to quantify the problem.. “Both antibiotic resistance and contamination are two of the top two threats to global health.. Until now we did not have a clear picture of the possible ties that link them, but this work suggests that the benefits of controlling air pollution could be twofold.. Not only are the harmful effects of poor air quality reduced. It can also play a critical role in combating the rise and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria,” Chen said in a statement in the medical journal.
To carry out their work, the team led by Chen analyzed more than 11.5 million pieces of data related to antimicrobial resistance and air pollution in 116 countries in different regions of the world.. The conclusions of the analysis showed a clear relationship. Thus, each 1% increase in air pollution was associated with an increase in resistance to antibiotics of between 0.5% and 1.9%, depending on the pathogens involved.
This association, the researchers underline in the scientific journal, has become stronger over time: in recent years, the correlation has gained ground.
HIGH COSTS
This close relationship between contamination and resistance to treatments against bacterial infections has consequences. The researchers estimate that the premature deaths derived from this association in 2018 were close to 480,000 cases, as well as very high economic costs.
In their work, the scientists also carried out a future projection that showed that if no measures are taken to control air pollution, in the year 2050 the levels of resistance to antibiotics will increase by around 17%.. Premature deaths derived from resistance to antibiotics would rise, in this scenario, to 840,000 cases per year, with a particularly high impact in the sub-Saharan area.
On the other hand, action on the factors that contribute to antibiotic resistance would contribute to reducing deaths associated with antimicrobial resistance by 23%.
In the conclusions of their work, the researchers acknowledge that more studies are needed to confirm their results and uncover the mechanisms that allow contaminating particles to spread resistance to antibiotics.