Akademiliv

Sahlgrenska akademins nyheter

På Svenska
University of Gothenburg Logotype
  • News
  • Notices
  • Calendar
  • Grants
  • About Akademiliv
Genrebild från bildbyrån iStock.

Hospital wastewater favors multi-resistant bacteria

17 February, 2021 Leave a Comment

NEW STUDY. Scientists from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden presents evidence that hospital wastewater, containing elevated levels of antibiotics, rapidly kills antibiotic-sensitive bacteria, while multi-resistant bacteria continue to grow. Hospital sewers may therefore provide conditions that promote the evolution of new forms of antibiotic resistance.

It is hardly news that hospital wastewater contains antibiotics from patients. It has been assumed that hospital sewers could be a place where multi-resistant bacteria develop and thrive due to continuous low-level antibiotic exposure. However, direct evidence for selection of resistant bacteria from this type of wastewater has been lacking, until now.

A research group at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, led by Professor Joakim Larsson, has sampled wastewater from Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, and at the inlet and outlet of the local municipal treatment plant for comparison. They first removed all bacteria from the wastewaters by filtering and tested how the filtered wastewater affected bacteria in different controlled test systems in the lab.

Joakim Larsson

“The results were very clear,” says Joakim Larsson. “In all assay, we could see that antibiotic-sensitive bacteria were rapidly killed by the hospital wastewater, while the multi-resistant ones continued to grow. The wastewater entering the municipal treatment plant, primarily made up of wastewater from households, showed a very slight effect, while we could not see any effect of the filtered wastewater.”“It is good news that the wastewater entering the Göta Älv river is not selecting for resistant bacteria, but the strong selection by hospital wastewater is concerning,” says Larsson:

“Strong selection pressure that favors multi-resistant bacteria is the most important driver behind the evolution of new forms of resistance in pathogens. We now know that hospital wastewater does not only contain pathogens, it can also favor resistant bacteria.”

Sweden uses very little antibiotics compared to many other countries in the world. It is therefore plausible that hospitals wastewaters from other places in the world also favor resistant bacteria, but this remains to be investigated. The researchers found some antibiotics that could explain some of the effects on bacteria, but they say that more research is needed to clarify exactly what is favoring the multi-resistant ones.

“One possible way to reduce risks could involve pre-treatment of wastewater at hospitals, something that is done in certain countries already”, explains Larsson. “To find the best ways to reduce risks, including designing possible treatment measures, it is critical to first figure out which antibiotics or other antibacterial chemicals explain selection for resistance. That is something we are working on right now.”

The study has been published in the scientific journal Environment International.

Title: Evidence for selection of multi-resistant E. coli by hospital effluent. Kraupner N, Hutinel M, Schumacher K, Gray DA, Genheden M, Fick J, Flach C-F, Larsson DGJ. (2021). Environment International 150:106436

  • Research team: Research interests – Joakim Larsson group; https://www.gu.se/en/biomedicine/about-us/department-of-infectious-diseases/joakim-larsson-group
  • CARe: Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research; https://www.gu.se/en/care

BY: ELIN LINDSTRÖM

 

By: Elin Lindström
Tagged With: institutionen för biomedicin

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Add your own events in the Akademiliv Calendar

John Anderson: T cell engineering for childhood solid tumour therapeutics: Live long and prosper

  • Webinar 15:00-16:00, Thursday Feb 25.
  • Link to Zoom webinar.

Engineering Health, April 13-14.

Program and registration now available for Engineering Heath, held as a digital event April 13-14, 2021.

Forskarsnabben – full autumn program

During 20 minutes over Zoom, the Biomedical Library gives tips on tools and services that can facilitate your research everyday life. Start January 27.
English version further down in the document.

The novel coronavirus – University-wide information on the Staff Portal

Read up-tp-date information regarding how effects of the pandemic are handled at the university.

The entrance doors are locked

Due to new restrictions and decisions, all entrances are locked. For daytime access, use your GU card.

We are building at Medicinareberget

You will now find comprehensive information on construction projects that affect the Sahlgrenska Academy in the Staff Portal.

Lunch menus

Café & restaurang Anatomen

Gastronomen på SU

Lunchen.nu

Lyktan lunchservering

Lustgården på Änggårdsbacken

Café Anne Dahl

More news

They are the first doctoral students in medical engineering in collaboration with Chalmers

24 February, 2021

DOCTORAL STUDIES. So far, two doctoral students at Sahlgrenska Academy have begun their doctoral studies in medical engineering in collaboration …  

The large ALF grant round opens soon – get answers to your questions at the March 15 webinar

23 February, 2021

ALF GRANTS. You can submit your application for ALF grants until June 1. Sahlgrenska Academy and Sahlgrenska University Hospital are holding a …  

TBE patients’ lasting problems

23 February, 2021

DOCTORAL THESIS. Impaired memory, reduced motivation, and declining motor skills. These are some of the problems that may persist several years af …  

A fifth of adults in Sweden experience dental anxiety 

22 February, 2021

DOCTORAL THESIS. In Sweden, approximately one in five adults suffers from dental anxiety or phobia. The number has decreased over time, but many s …  

Meet language stylist Ola Bratt — new professor of clinical cancer epidemiology

19 February, 2021

PEOPLE. Ola Bratt is our new professor of clinical cancer epidemiology at the University of Gothenburg. Back in the early 1990s, as a newly …  

Researchers in engineering sciences and medicine learn from each other to develop future health care technology

19 February, 2021

RESEARCH SCHOOL. Research in the borderland between technology and health is becoming increasingly important. Now Chalmers University of …  

Age important factor for new intestinal barrier component against bacteria

17 February, 2021

NEW SYUDY. How do intestinal cells perceive when to put up defenses against intruding bacteria? Which signals are required for a functional …  

Construction information Medicinareberget – Walls, ceilings and beams are beginning to come in place

15 February, 2021

CONSTRUCTION INFORMATION. Akademiliv provides information on the construction of Natrium on Medicinareberget for the period weeks 7-10 (February …  

Meet our new Excellent Teachers – Mona Ringdal and Angela Bång

12 February, 2021

DISTINCTION. Mona Ringdal and Angela Bång, both associate professors at the Institute of Health and Care Sciences, recently received the title of …  

New discovery about autophagy published in Nature

11 February, 2021

NEW STUDY. The protein VCP plays an important role in initiating the process of autophagy in the cell. This is the finding of researchers at the …  

More news...

Sahlgrenska Academy

© University of Gothenburg
PO-Box 100, S-405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
Phone: 00 46 31 786 0000

About the website

Elin Lindström Claessen is editor for Akademiliv.
Please feel free to send your ideas and comments to akademiliv@gu.se

Sign up for the Akademiliv newsletter:

Send you tips to Akademiliv

Do you have a suggestion for news, grants, seminars or an education?
Send an email to Elin Lindström Claessen