Exposing antibiotic resistance in natural environments

Research conducted by the University of Exeter Medical School, the University of Hong Kong, and pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca revealed that low concentrations of antibiotics in the environment could be contributing to the evolution of antibiotic resistance.

The study adds to a growing concern about the environmental dimension of antibiotic resistance, and identifies the environment as a factor that needs to be seriously considered in future AMR prevention efforts – on an equal footing with antibiotic exposure in humans and animals.