Implications of indoor microbial ecology and evolution on antibiotic resistance

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Environmental Health
• Building Science

Background:

• Indoor environments host diverse microbes from human and non-human sources.
• Built environment design and operation can inadvertently promote negative health outcomes, specifically antibiotic resistance.
• Microbial interactions, including horizontal gene transfer, are facilitated within indoor settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review studies on indoor microbial interactions and their link to antibiotic resistance.
• To explore how built environment conditions influence the spread of antibiotic resistance genes.
• To guide healthy building design by understanding indoor microbial dynamics.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of existing studies on indoor microbial communities.
• Analysis of factors influencing horizontal gene transfer and antibiotic resistance.
• Examination of the role of environmental stressors, including antimicrobial chemicals.

Main Results:

• Indoor environments provide a unique venue for the exchange of genetic material, including antibiotic resistance genes.
• Stressors within the built environment can favor the retention and spread of antibiotic resistance.
• Both intrinsic and acquired antibiotic resistance mechanisms contribute to the threat.

Conclusions:

• The interplay of human-associated and environmental microbes in indoor spaces, under stress, drives antibiotic resistance.
• Understanding these interactions is crucial for developing strategies to control antibiotic resistance.
• Informed building design can mitigate risks and promote healthier indoor environments.