University of Edinburgh Study Finds Antimicrobial Bacteria in Hospital Wastewater in Research That Has Implications for Microbiologists

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh (UE) in Scotland found large amounts of antimicrobial-resistance (AMR) genes in hospital wastewater. These findings will be of interest to microbiologists and clinical laboratory managers, as the scientists used metagenomics to learn “how abundances of AMR genes in hospital wastewater are related to clinical activity.”

The UE study sheds light on the types of bacteria in wastewater that goes down hospital pipes to sewage treatment plants. The study also revealed that not all infectious agents are killed after passing through waste treatment plants. Some bacteria with antimicrobial (or antibiotic) resistance survive to enter local food sources.