抗生素抗性基因(ARGs)——一种新型环境污染物

抗生素的环境污染与生态毒性近年来引起了日益广泛的关注.水产养殖和畜牧业抗生素长期滥用的直接后果,很可能诱导动物体内抗生素抗性基因,经排泄后将对养殖区域及其周边环境造成潜在基因污染.抗性基因还极有可能在环境中传播、扩散.对公共健康和食品、饮用水安全构成威胁.为此,提出了将抗生素抗性基因作为一类新型环境污染物,对该类污染物在环境中的来源、潜在的传播途径以及国内外相关研究进展进行综述,指出了当前形势下我国开展环境中抗生素抗性基因污染研究的必要性,建议尽快从国家层面上系统进行抗生素抗性基因的环境污染机理与控制对策研究.

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) as emerging pollutants

The challenging issue of environmental contamination and ecological poisoning by antibiotics is of increasing global concern. The fact is that antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) could be introduced as the result of the long-term overuse of antibiotics both in aquaculture and livestock husbandry. Feces from these animals which contain ARGs could become potential sources of ARGs in the environment. Furthermore,transport of ARGs in the environment potentially endangers the safety of food,drinking water and public health. The potential occurrence,sources,exposure pathways and transport of ARGs as well as the research progress in examining these emerging environmental pollutants are discussed. Considering that antibiotics are more frequently used in China than in any other country,it is urgently recommended that a systematic research proposal on the environmental pollution of ARGs should be carried out on a national level in China.