[Bacterial resistance in Latin American treated effluents: a systematic review]

This article aims to investigate the resistance profile of bacteria isolated from effluents treated in Latin American wastewater treatment plants. This systematic literature review was developed following PRISMA guidelines. The search was conducted in MEDLINE/PubMed using the PICO strategy. The included cross-sectional analytical studies were filtered according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, and bias risk was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute protocol. The results were tabulated during data extraction and analysis. A total of 636 articles were identified, 20 of which were eligible. The studies reported a high frequency of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, mainly Gram-negative rods, in samples from treatment plants. The articles also noted the identification of strains co-resistant to chlorine/heavy metals and antimicrobials. The most commonly detected antimicrobial resistance genes were associated with β-lactams: blaCTX-M, blaTEM, blaSHV e blaKPC. Wastewater treatment plants may contribute to the spread of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and antimicrobial resistance genes. Therefore, new treatment methods and joint governmental efforts are necessary to effectively tackle this issue.