A Review on the Prevalence and Treatment of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Hospital Wastewater

Antibiotic resistance is a global environmental and health threat. Approximately 4.95 million deaths were associated with antibiotic resistance in 2019, including 1.27 million deaths that were directly attributable to bacterial antimicrobial resistance. Hospital wastewater is one of the key sources...

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Main Authors: Lihua Lan, Yixin Wang, Yuxin Chen, Ting Wang, Jin Zhang, Biqin Tan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Toxics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/13/4/263
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author Lihua Lan
Yixin Wang
Yuxin Chen
Ting Wang
Jin Zhang
Biqin Tan
author_facet Lihua Lan
Yixin Wang
Yuxin Chen
Ting Wang
Jin Zhang
Biqin Tan
author_sort Lihua Lan
collection DOAJ
description Antibiotic resistance is a global environmental and health threat. Approximately 4.95 million deaths were associated with antibiotic resistance in 2019, including 1.27 million deaths that were directly attributable to bacterial antimicrobial resistance. Hospital wastewater is one of the key sources for the spread of clinically relevant antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) into the environment. Understanding the current situation of ARGs in hospital wastewater is of great significance. Here, we review the prevalence of ARGs and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) in hospital wastewater and wastewater from other places and the treatment methods used. We further discuss the intersection between ARGs and COVID-19 during the pandemic. This review highlights the issues associated with the dissemination of critical ARGs from hospital wastewater into the environment. It is imperative to implement more effective processes for hospital wastewater treatment to eliminate ARGs, particularly during the current long COVID-19 period.
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series Toxics
spelling doaj-art-bee63570c7204d86804014fce0b28fcc2025-08-20T02:25:04ZengMDPI AGToxics2305-63042025-03-0113426310.3390/toxics13040263A Review on the Prevalence and Treatment of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Hospital WastewaterLihua Lan0Yixin Wang1Yuxin Chen2Ting Wang3Jin Zhang4Biqin Tan5Key Laboratory of Recycling and Eco-Treatment of Waste Biomass of Zhejiang Province, School of Environment and Natural Resources, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou 310023, ChinaKey Laboratory of Recycling and Eco-Treatment of Waste Biomass of Zhejiang Province, School of Environment and Natural Resources, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou 310023, ChinaKey Laboratory of Recycling and Eco-Treatment of Waste Biomass of Zhejiang Province, School of Environment and Natural Resources, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou 310023, ChinaKey Laboratory of Recycling and Eco-Treatment of Waste Biomass of Zhejiang Province, School of Environment and Natural Resources, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou 310023, ChinaKey Laboratory of Recycling and Eco-Treatment of Waste Biomass of Zhejiang Province, School of Environment and Natural Resources, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou 310023, ChinaKey Laboratory of Clinical Cancer Pharmacology and Toxicology Research of Zhejiang Province, Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310006, ChinaAntibiotic resistance is a global environmental and health threat. Approximately 4.95 million deaths were associated with antibiotic resistance in 2019, including 1.27 million deaths that were directly attributable to bacterial antimicrobial resistance. Hospital wastewater is one of the key sources for the spread of clinically relevant antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) into the environment. Understanding the current situation of ARGs in hospital wastewater is of great significance. Here, we review the prevalence of ARGs and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) in hospital wastewater and wastewater from other places and the treatment methods used. We further discuss the intersection between ARGs and COVID-19 during the pandemic. This review highlights the issues associated with the dissemination of critical ARGs from hospital wastewater into the environment. It is imperative to implement more effective processes for hospital wastewater treatment to eliminate ARGs, particularly during the current long COVID-19 period.https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/13/4/263antimicrobial resistanceantibiotic resistance geneshospitalwastewaterCOVID-19
spellingShingle Lihua Lan
Yixin Wang
Yuxin Chen
Ting Wang
Jin Zhang
Biqin Tan
A Review on the Prevalence and Treatment of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Hospital Wastewater
Toxics
antimicrobial resistance
antibiotic resistance genes
hospital
wastewater
COVID-19
title A Review on the Prevalence and Treatment of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Hospital Wastewater
title_full A Review on the Prevalence and Treatment of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Hospital Wastewater
title_fullStr A Review on the Prevalence and Treatment of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Hospital Wastewater
title_full_unstemmed A Review on the Prevalence and Treatment of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Hospital Wastewater
title_short A Review on the Prevalence and Treatment of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Hospital Wastewater
title_sort review on the prevalence and treatment of antibiotic resistance genes in hospital wastewater
topic antimicrobial resistance
antibiotic resistance genes
hospital
wastewater
COVID-19
url https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/13/4/263
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