Antibiotikoen erresistentziak agroekosistemetan: Antibiotic resistance in agroecosystems

Abstract

Antibiotics have become an indispensable tool to combat bacterial infections in medicine and veterinary medicine. The overuse and misuse of antibiotics has led to the emergence of one of the most important health challenges, as bacteria have developed widespread resistance to antibiotics. This global problem must be analysed from a One Health perspective, as antibiotic resistance is shared, spread and multiplied between humans, animals and the environment. For example, the application of organic fertilisers to soils can improve soil health and crop yields. However, this practice carries risks, as antibiotics not fully metabolised by humans or animals can find their way into the soil. In addition to the antibiotic, the use of such organic fertilisers involves the spread of antibiotic-resistant genes, antibiotic resistant bacteria and mobile genetic elements. Indeed, the continuous introduction of antibiotics into soils creates a potential threat to indigenous bacteria; antibiotic-resistant bacteria multiply and alter the biodiversity of indigenous bacterial communities. This wide dispersal makes the use of antibiotics increasingly ineffective in the treatment of pathogenic resistant bacterial infections. This review first tries to explain the origin and mechanisms of antibiotic-resistant genes and antibiotics. Next, the use of organic fertilisers of human or animal origin in soils is mentioned, as they are a major source for the spread of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance in the environment. The environmental impact of antibiotic resistance is then explained, following the exposure pathway from crops to humans. Finally, we propose management processes that could be useful to reduce the risk of antibiotic resistance in livestock-derived organic fertilisers.