Even clouds can carry drug-resistant bacteria, study finds
[ad_1]
Clouds can carry drug-resistant bacteria over long distances. A group of Canadian and French scientists came to this conclusion, reports Science Alert. “These bacteria usually live on the surface of plants, particularly in leaves, or in the soil. We found that they are carried by wind into the atmosphere and can travel long distances around the world and at high altitudes in clouds,” said lead author Florent. Rossi. Researchers from Université Laval in Quebec and Université Clermont-Auvergne in central France looked for antibiotic-resistant genes in bacteria found in cloud samples. Photo: YuliyaKirayonakBO/Depositphotos The samples were taken from an atmospheric research station located 1,465 meters above sea level on the summit of Puy de Dome, a dormant volcano in central France. Analysis showed that it contained between 330 and more than 30,000 bacteria per milliliter of cloud water, that is, an average of about 8,000 bacteria per milliliter. They also identified 29 gene subtypes of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The study offered no conclusions about the potential health consequences of the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the atmosphere. However, Rossi suggested the risks were probably low. “The atmosphere is very stressful for bacteria, and most of what we found were environmental bacteria that are less likely to be harmful to humans. So people shouldn’t be afraid to walk in the rain,” explained the researcher. The scientist added that atmospheric monitoring could help pinpoint the sources of drug-resistant bacteria, similar to wastewater tests for COVID-19 and other pathogens to limit their spread. Read also: In Japan, the hotel changed the water in the spa bath only twice a year: bacteria that cause pneumonia were found there
[ad_2]
Original Source Link
