Department of Chemistry and Biology "A. Zambelli", University of Salerno, 84084, Fisciano, (SA), Italy.
Department of Chemistry and Biology "A. Zambelli", University of Salerno, 84084, Fisciano, (SA), Italy.
Environ Res. 2024 Dec 15;263(Pt 2):120120. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.120120. Epub 2024 Oct 9.
Antibiotic resistance (AR) is a critical global health issue with significant clinical and economic implications. AR occurs when microorganisms develop mechanisms to withstand the effects of antibiotics, reducing treatment efficacy and increasing the risk of mortality and healthcare costs. While the connection between antibiotic use in clinical and agricultural settings and the emergence of AR is well-established, the role of urban soils as reservoirs and spreaders of AR is underexplored. This review examines the complex dynamics of AR in urban soils, highlighting the various sources of antibiotics, including domestic wastewater, industrial effluents, urban agricultural practices, but also microplastics and domestic animal excrements. The selective pressure exerted by these anthropogenic sources promotes the proliferation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, particularly through horizontal gene transfer, which facilitates the transmission of resistance genes among soil microorganisms in urban environments. About that, the presence of antibiotics in urban soils poses a significant threat to public health by potentially transferring resistance genes to human pathogens through multiple pathways, including direct contact, food consumption, and water ingestion. Furthermore, AR in urban soils disrupts microbial community dynamics, impacting soil fertility, plant growth, and overall environmental quality. Therefore, this review aims to address gaps in understanding AR in urban soils, offering insights into its implications for human health and ecosystem integrity. By identifying these gaps and suggesting evidence-based strategies, this review proposes valid and sustainable solutions to mitigate and counteract the spread of AR in urban environments.
抗生素耐药性（AR）是一个具有重大临床和经济意义的全球性健康问题。当微生物产生机制来抵抗抗生素的作用时，就会发生抗生素耐药性，从而降低治疗效果，并增加死亡率和医疗保健成本的风险。虽然抗生素在临床和农业环境中的使用与 AR 的出现之间的联系已经得到充分证实，但城市土壤作为 AR 的储库和传播者的作用尚未得到充分探索。这篇综述考察了城市土壤中 AR 的复杂动态，强调了抗生素的各种来源，包括生活污水、工业废水、城市农业实践，以及微塑料和家养动物粪便。这些人为来源施加的选择压力促进了抗生素耐药菌的增殖，特别是通过水平基因转移，这有助于在城市环境中的土壤微生物之间传播耐药基因。此外，城市土壤中抗生素的存在通过多种途径对公众健康构成重大威胁，包括直接接触、食物摄入和水摄入，从而可能将耐药基因转移给人类病原体。此外，AR 会破坏城市土壤中的微生物群落动态，影响土壤肥力、植物生长和整体环境质量。因此，本综述旨在解决对城市土壤中 AR 认识不足的问题，深入了解其对人类健康和生态系统完整性的影响。通过识别这些差距并提出基于证据的策略，本综述提出了有效的可持续解决方案，以减轻和对抗城市环境中 AR 的传播。
