Table1_Antimicrobials and Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Water Bodies: Pollution, Risk, and Control.DOCX

The manuscript endeavors to provide a perspective on the role of water bodies in the spread of antimicrobial (antibiotic) resistance (AMR), antimicrobial resistant bacteria (ARB), and antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) among pathogens, animals, and humans. We briefly indicate how the AMR problem is globally affecting public health, along with strategies and mechanisms to combat the dissemination of ARB and ARGs. A brief systematic survey of the literature (2015-onwards) for the presence of antimicrobial residues and the occurrence of ARGs and antimicrobial resistant microorganisms in different water bodies/sources indicates the gravity of the situation and suggests their important role in the occurrence and spread of AMR, ARB, and ARGs. The prevalent water treatment methods which tend to reduce ARB and ARGs from water resources are unable to remove them completely, allowing the problem of AMR to continue and spread to organisms of concern. In this opinion article, we attempt to underline the key role of controlling the release/discharge of antimicrobial contaminants in water bodies and their buildup in checking the development and spread of AMR. The reduction in the release of antibiotic residues in the environment, especially water bodies, combined with the development of improved surveillance means and efficacious treatment/removal/decomposition methods could help curb the menace of AMR effectively. We suggest the expansion of the ambit of ‘One Health Approach to AMR crises proposed by the World Bank, 2021 to include the ‘reduction of antimicrobial contamination of the environment’ as the ‘seventh domain’ of activity to effectively achieve its objective.

本文旨在探讨水体在抗微生物（抗生素）耐药性（AMR）、抗微生物耐药细菌（ARB）以及抗微生物耐药基因（ARGs）在病原体、动物和人类之间传播中的作用。文章简要指出，AMR问题如何在全球范围内影响公共健康，以及对抗ARB和ARGs传播的策略和机制。对文献（自2015年起）的系统回顾，涉及不同水体/来源中抗微生物残留物、ARGs和抗微生物耐药微生物的出现，揭示了当前形势的严重性，并指出水体在AMR、ARB和ARGs的发生和传播中扮演着重要角色。目前流行的水处理方法虽然能够减少水资源中的ARB和ARGs，但无法完全去除，这使得AMR问题得以持续并传播至关注的生物体。在本篇观点文章中，我们试图强调控制水体中抗微生物污染物的排放/排放以及其积累在遏制AMR发展和传播中的关键作用。减少环境中抗生素残留物的排放，特别是水体中的排放，结合改进的监测手段和有效的处理/去除/分解方法，有助于有效遏制AMR的威胁。我们建议将世界银行于2021年提出的针对AMR危机的“一个健康方法”的范畴扩展至包括“减少环境中的抗微生物污染”作为第七个活动领域，以有效实现其目标。