Hospital sewers may be breeding grounds for dangerous superbugs, study finds
“Knowing where resistant bacteria are promoted — and where they are less likely to be — is crucial when deciding how resources and efforts should be allocated to limit risks for antibiotic resistance development.”
The study had several limitations. All sampling sites were in Sweden, and researchers focused primarily on E. coli and a limited number of antibiotics, so the findings may not apply to all bacteria or locations.
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The sewer experiment lasted approximately 30 days, leaving longer-term effects unclear. The study also did not determine whether the growth of resistant bacteria in hospital sewers leads to more infections in patients or surrounding communities.
Although the study did not directly link hospital wastewater to human infections, Larsson said resistant bacteria could potentially reach people through contaminated water.
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“When it rains heavily, treatment plants are typically overloaded, and release untreated or partially untreated wastewater with lots of bacteria,” Larsson told Fox News Digital.
“If people get in contact with such waters, they can acquire those bacteria and then continue spreading them from person to person,” he went on. “One thing that remains uncertain is how much you need to be exposed for resistant bacteria to colonize your gut or infect you.”
Preventing antibiotic resistance
The researchers identified two possible approaches to reducing antibiotic resistance in hospital sewers.
One involves using alternative antibiotics that are less likely to pass through patients’ bodies unchanged and promote the growth of resistant bacteria in wastewater.
All 10 hospital samples significantly favored the growth of E. coli strains resistant to ciprofloxacin and cefotaxime, two antibiotics used to treat bacterial infections. (iStock)
“But – and it is an important but – the patients’ need for antibiotics must not be compromised,” Larsson said, emphasizing that equally effective alternatives may not always be available, and patients’ medical needs must come first.
The second approach involves treating wastewater at hospitals to remove antibiotics that promote resistance, particularly fluoroquinolones and beta-lactams (two classes of antibiotics used to treat bacterial infections), while also removing harmful bacteria.
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Larsson said treating wastewater at municipal plants would likely be less effective because antibiotic concentrations are high enough to favor resistant bacteria, primarily in hospital sewers.
Existing technologies can remove antibiotics from wastewater, but they can be costly and require additional treatment, he noted.
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“When we know more about the drivers, we think it might be possible to develop technical solutions that are targeted and hopefully less expensive,” Larsson added.
Fox News Digital reached out to the American Hospital Association requesting comment.
Melissa Rudy is senior health editor and a member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to melissa.rudy@fox.com.
Article source: https://www.foxnews.com/health/hospital-sewers-breeding-grounds-dangerous-superbugs-study-finds