Impact of urbanization on antimicrobial resistance in soil microbial communities

The study reveals that soil is a significant reservoir of antibiotic resistance, a global threat. Despite urban parks’ importance, their diffusion, maintenance, and human impact are not well understood. The researchers used a molecular and culturomics approach to study antibiotic resistance in urban parks, considering environmental matrix and urbanization levels. They found higher efflux-mediated mechanisms in undisturbed environments and more antibiotic alteration or inactivation in areas with higher urbanization. This underscores the need for monitoring antibiotic resistance in urban parks.