Oil-contaminated sites act as high-risk pathogen reservoirs previously overlooked in coastal zones

Environmental reservoirs are essential for viable bacterial pathogens before and after infection. Incidence of pathogen-induced diseases are increasing in anthropogenically polluted environments, but little is known about whether and how the most common coastal oil-contaminated water bodies act as reservoirs for pathogens. Here, we delved into the characteristics of pathogenic bacteria in coastal zones by constructing seawater-based microcosms with diesel oil as a pollutant. 16S rRNA gene full-length sequencing and genomic exploration revealed that pathogenic bacteria with genes involved in alkane or aromatic degradation were significantly enriched under oil contamination, providing a genetic basis for them to thrive in oil-contaminated seawater.