The Bacterial Urban Resistome: Recent Advances

Area of Science:

• Environmental microbiology
• Urban ecology
• Public health

Background:

• Antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs) are prevalent in densely populated urban areas.
• The urban environment, including built spaces and public transport, facilitates the spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
• Understanding the complex network of urban reservoirs is crucial for controlling AMR.

Purpose of the Study:

• To discuss unique urban aspects promoting the spread and resilience of ARGs/ARB.
• To highlight the role of various urban settings as reservoirs and carriers of ARGs/ARB.
• To emphasize the need for ecological and evolutionary approaches in AMR risk assessment.

Main Methods:

• Review of urban factors contributing to ARG/ARB persistence and transfer.
• Analysis of the role of specific urban environments (hospitals, parks, transport, built environments) in AMR dissemination.
• Discussion on applying ecological and evolutionary modeling for health risk assessment.

Main Results:

• Hospitals and parks act as significant reservoirs for ARGs/ARB.
• Transportation systems serve as key conduits for ARG/ARB spread.
• Built environments, despite lower biodiversity, are hubs for horizontal gene transfer.

Conclusions:

• Urban settings present unique challenges for controlling AMR due to interconnected reservoirs and transfer pathways.
• Ecological and evolutionary modeling are essential tools for enhanced health risk assessments in urban AMR.
• Effective control of AMR in cities depends on a comprehensive understanding of the urban resistome and its environmental connections.