Basgonda Patil, a farmer from western India, faced a huge health scare after falling ill. What he thought was just a bacterial infection turned into a prolonged hospital stay and a lengthy recovery. He experienced severe fever and throat pain, and common antibiotics didn’t help. It took a strong medication to get him back on track. Unfortunately, many others haven’t been as fortunate.
In 2019, the World Health Organization reported about 1.27 million deaths linked to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Healthcare professionals are increasingly noticing that usual infections are becoming harder to treat because some bacteria have developed resistance to antibiotics.
While hospitals have been on high alert to prevent the spread of resistant bacteria, there’s another source that’s drawing attention: the soil on farms. Scientists believe that climate change could worsen this issue. Warmer temperatures may cause soil bacteria to evolve, giving them more resistance genes that can threaten human health.
Researchers have discovered that bacteria in warmer soils tend to have more resistance genes and can use them more effectively. Melanie Hacopian, a researcher from the University of California, Irvine, shared surprising findings: when soil is heated, bacteria not only acquire these resistance genes but activate them more frequently. This means that as soil temperature increases, certain bacteria can better survive challenges from both heat and antibiotics.
Additionally, studies in Germany assessed how various factors—like global warming and pollution—affect soil bacteria. They found that when multiple stressors are present, more resistant bacteria thrive. This adaptability could lead to an increased risk of spreading resistance to harmful bacteria.
Natural disasters, like floods, can also contribute to this issue. Floodwaters can carry antibiotic-resistant bacteria into the soil, where they may survive for long periods. A study following Hurricane Harvey in Houston found elevated levels of resistant bacteria in the soil, which remained for months after the disaster.
For many, including Patil and his family, exposure to such bacteria is a real concern. After his fields flooded, he, his wife, and son all fell ill, with nearly 100 others from their village reporting similar symptoms. “I believe it was something from the fields that made us sick,” Patil said.
In related studies, scientists in China found that warmer soil temperatures affected the gut bacteria of native species, such as the giant African snail. As soil warms, these snails hosted more antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which can be dangerous for humans if transmitted.
Overusing antibiotics contributes significantly to resistance. When people take them unnecessarily, it allows bacteria more chances to adapt. David Graham from Durham University advises that the best tactic is to minimize antibiotic use and improve medical diagnostics to prevent unnecessary prescriptions.
In many countries, the regulation around antibiotics is lax. Farmers often administer these drugs to livestock, even when not needed, and this can lead to resistance that ultimately affects humans through food and water.
To tackle the rise of antibiotic resistance in soil, scientists recommend reducing simultaneous environmental stressors and improving wastewater treatment to limit harmful substances from entering the environment.
As climate change progresses, the likelihood of common infections becoming harder to treat increases. We need to be aware that the antibiotics we relied on may not be as effective anymore. Patil warns, “People need to understand that common infections can become a serious problem.”
Source link
India,Sanket Jain
