Dr Manal Mohammed, Senior Lecturer in Medical Microbiology, wrote an article for The Conversation about how air pollution is linked with the global rise in antibiotic resistance. The article has been republished over 100 times across the globe, reaching publications in the US, Germany and Japan. It has even been translated to Bulgarian.
In the article, Dr Mohammed looks into a new study written by researchers from China and the UK, who investigated the emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria and genes in the atmosphere in 116 countries. These countries included China, India, Australia, UK and US.
From the study, Dr Mohammed explains that areas with high levels of air pollution have more antibiotic resistant bacteria than places with lower air pollution. The highest levels were seen in North Africa and West Asia where the most dangerous type of air pollution, called PM2.5, was at its most severe. Contrastingly, Europe and North America had the lowest levels of air pollution and lower levels of antibiotic resistance.
Dr Mohammed said: “While we may not know exactly how air pollution helps spread antibiotic resistance, the link between the two is clear. Air pollution is also associated with a range of other health conditions – including cardiovascular disease, asthma, poorer lung function and greater risk of depression. Given the many harms air pollution already has to our health, this study only further strengthens arguments to urgently improve air quality and reduce pollution globally.”
Westminster is dedicated to its research in antibiotic resistance, running campaigns to raise awareness about these superbugs and carrying out research to investigate the role of bacteriophages in treatment of antibiotic resistant bacteria.
Read the full article on The Conversation’s website.
