Interdisciplinary approaches to understanding the spread of microbes and antimicrobial resistance in aquatic environments

Talk description:

Antimicrobials have been an important aspect of Western medicine in the management of infections since their manufacture and widespread use in the 1940s. However, antimicrobial resistance (the ability of microorganisms to survive and grow in the presence of antimicrobials) threatens our ability to manage the risks to health posed by microorganisms that cause infections. Until recently, research into the origins and spread of antimicrobial resistance has focused on the role of clinical settings and on microorganisms that cause infection. However, research is beginning to shed light on the important role that non-human, and particularly natural environments, play in the emergence, dissemination and transmission of resistance. This talk will describe recent and ongoing interdisciplinary research to understand the spread of microorganisms, particularly of antibiotic resistant bacteria, in aquatic environments associated with coastal bathing waters.

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