A Practical Framework for Environmental Antibiotic Resistance Monitoring in Freshwater Ecosystems.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Microbiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Antibiotic resistance (AR) and contamination pose significant public and environmental health risks.
• The environmental aspect of AR, particularly its connection to the human resistome, is gaining attention.
• Freshwater ecosystems are crucial for environmental AR surveillance, acting as reservoirs and transmission routes for resistant bacteria and genes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a roadmap for AR monitoring in freshwater ecosystems.
• To guide researchers and policymakers in developing effective environmental AR surveillance strategies.
• To address the need for understanding AR evolution, dynamics, and links between environmental and human AR.

Main Methods:

• A framework based on four key questions: how, what, where, and when to monitor AR.
• Synthesis of current knowledge and methodologies for environmental AR surveillance.
• Review of approaches for designing and implementing routine monitoring programs.

Main Results:

• Environmental AR monitoring programs must be tailored to the specific characteristics of each freshwater ecosystem.
• The complexity, heterogeneity, and dynamic nature of these ecosystems necessitate adaptive surveillance strategies.
• Significant research is still required to assess and monitor AR risks in freshwaters.

Conclusions:

• Effective environmental AR monitoring requires adaptive strategies adjusted to local conditions and program goals.
• Continued research is essential to fully understand and mitigate the risks of AR emergence and spread in freshwater systems.
• This review provides a consolidated guide for planning and executing AR monitoring programs in freshwater environments.