Antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes in natural environments.
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 18635792.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1126/science.1159483.
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Abstract
The large majority of antibiotics currently used for treating infections and the antibiotic resistance genes acquired by human pathogens each have an environmental origin. Recent work indicates that the function of these elements in their environmental reservoirs may be very distinct from the "weapon-shield" role they play in clinical settings. Changes in natural ecosystems, including the release of large amounts of antimicrobials, might alter the population dynamics of microorganisms, including selection of resistance, with consequences for human health that are difficult to predict.
Medical subject headings
- Anti-Bacterial Agents
- Bacteria
- Drug Resistance, Bacterial
- Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial
- Ecosystem
- Genes, Bacterial