Cited by 731Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental ImpactsAntibiotic Use and ResistanceAntibiotic Resistance in Bacteria

Environmental antimicrobial resistance and its drivers: a potential threat to public health

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Samreen, Ahmad, Iqbal, Malak, Hesham A., Abulreesh, Hussein H.·2021·Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance

Abstract

Imprudent and overuse of clinically relevant antibiotics in agriculture, veterinary and medical sectors contribute to the global epidemic increase in antimicrobial resistance (AMR). There is a growing concern among researchers and stakeholders that the environment acts as an AMR reservoir and plays a key role in the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs). Various drivers are contributing factors to the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and their ARGs either directly through antimicrobial drug use in health care, agriculture/livestock and the environment or antibiotic residues released from various domestic settings. Resistant micro-organisms and their resistance genes enter the soil, air, water and sediments through various routes or hotspots such as hospital wastewater, agricultural waste or wastewater treatment plants. Global mitigation strategies primarily involve the identification of high-risk environments that are responsible for the evolution and spread of resistance. Subsequently, AMR transmission is affected by the standards of infection control, sanitation, access to clean water, access to assured quality antimicrobials and diagnostics, travel and migration. This review provides a brief description of AMR as a global concern and the possible contribution of different environmental drivers to the transmission of antibiotic-resistant bacteria or ARGs through various mechanisms. We also aim to highlight the key knowledge gaps that hinder environmental regulators and mitigation strategies in delivering environmental protection against AMR.

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  1. O'Neill J . Antimicrobial resistance: tackling a crisis for the health and wealth of nations. Review on Antimicrobial Resistance; 2014 .
  2. Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 May 2012 concerning the making available on the market and use of biocidal products. Official Journal of the European Union 2012 .

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Authors
Samreen, Ahmad, I., Malak, H. A., & Abulreesh, H. H.
Affiliations
  • Aligarh Muslim University (IN)
  • Umm al-Qura University (SA)
Corresponding author
Ahmad, Iqbal
Venue
Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2021-12
Volume
27
Pages
101-111
ISSN
2213-7165 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3195695566
Cited by
727
References
153
Citations by year
2026: 157 · 2025: 228 · 2024: 184 · 2023: 108 · 2022: 46 · 2021: 3
FWCI
4.22
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, India (9102 || BT/IN/Indo-UK/AMR-Env/04/IQ/2020-21)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology › Antibiotic Use and Resistance
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Medicine › Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria
Keywords
antimicrobial resistance, antimicrobial resistance genes, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, antibiotic residues, hospital wastewater, agricultural waste, wastewater treatment plants, infection control, sanitation, clean water access, public health
MeSH terms
Anti-Infective Agents, Anti-Bacterial Agents, Public Health, Drug Resistance, Bacterial, Wastewater

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