Antibiotic resistance is a threat to human and animal health worldwide, and key measures are required to reduce the risks posed by antibiotic resistance genes that occur in the environment. These measures include the identification of critical points of control, the development of reliable surveillance and risk assessment procedures, and the implementation of technological solutions that can prevent environmental contamination with antibiotic resistant bacteria and genes. In this Opinion article, we discuss the main knowledge gaps, the future research needs and the policy and management options that should be prioritized to tackle antibiotic resistance in the environment.

Gut health challenges, possibly related to alterations in gut microbiota, caused by plant ingredients in the diets, cause losses in Atlantic salmon production. To investigate the role of the microbiota for gut function and health, detailed characterization of the gut microbiota is needed. We present the first in-depth characterization of salmon gut microbiota based on high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene’s V1-V2 region. Samples were taken from five intestinal compartments: digesta from proximal, mid and distal intestine and of mucosa from mid and distal intestine of 67.3 g salmon kept in seawater (12–14 °C) and fed a commercial diet for 4 weeks. Microbial richness and diversity differed significantly and were higher in the digesta than the mucosa. In mucosa, Proteobacteria dominated the microbiota (90%), whereas in digesta both Proteobacteria (47%) and Firmicutes (38%) showed high abundance. Future studies of diet and environmental impacts on gut microbiota should therefore differentiate between effects on mucosa and digesta in the proximal, mid and the distal intestine. A core microbiota, represented by 22 OTUs, was found in 80% of the samples. The gut microbiota of Atlantic salmon showed similarities with that of mammals.

Integrated antibiotic resistance (AR) surveillance is one of the objectives of the World Health Organization global action plan on antimicrobial resistance. Urban wastewater treatment plants (UWTPs) are among the most important receptors and sources of environmental AR. On the basis of the consistent observation of an increasing north-to-south clinical AR prevalence in Europe, this study compared the influent and final effluent of 12 UWTPs located in seven countries (Portugal, Spain, Ireland, Cyprus, Germany, Finland, and Norway). Using highly parallel quantitative polymerase chain reaction, we analyzed 229 resistance genes and 25 mobile genetic elements. This first trans-Europe surveillance showed that UWTP AR profiles mirror the AR gradient observed in clinics. Antibiotic use, environmental temperature, and UWTP size were important factors related with resistance persistence and spread in the environment. These results highlight the need to implement regular surveillance and control measures, which may need to be appropriate for the geographic regions.

The discovery and introduction of antimicrobial agents to clinical medicine was one of the greatest medical triumphs of the 20th century that revolutionized the treatment of bacterial infections. However, the gradual emergence of populations of antimicrobial-resistant pathogenic bacteria resulting from use, misuse, and abuse of antimicrobials has today become a major global health concern. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes have been suggested to originate from environmental bacteria, as clinically relevant resistance genes have been detected on the chromosome of environmental bacteria. As only a few new antimicrobials have been developed in the last decade, the further evolution of resistance poses a serious threat to public health. Urgent measures are required not only to minimize the use of antimicrobials for prophylactic and therapeutic purposes but also to look for alternative strategies for the control of bacterial infections. This review examines the global picture of antimicrobial resistance, factors that favor its spread, strategies, and limitations for its control and the need for continuous training of all stake-holders i.e., medical, veterinary, public health, and other relevant professionals as well as human consumers, in the appropriate use of antimicrobial drugs.

Aims: This study describes a novel species within the genus Edwardsiella based on phenotypic and genetic characterization of fish pathogenic Edwardsiella isolates previously identified as E. tarda. Methods and Results: Phenotypic characterization, DNA-DNA hybridization and phylogenetic analysis of representative Edwardsiella isolates from fish previously identified as E. tarda were conducted and compared with E. tarda type strain (ATCC 15947 T ). Phenotypically, strains from fish grow with pinpoint colonies producing slight b-haemolysis under the colony. In contrast to the E. tarda type strain, fish strains did not grow at 42°C or degrade b-methyl-D-glucoside (with the exception of NCIMB 2034), citric acid and L-proline. With the exception of strain ETK01, all fish strains were highly pathogenic to zebra fish, while ATCC 15947 T and NCIMB 2034 were nonpathogenic. DNA-DNA hybridization (DDH) levels between representative fish isolates and the E. tarda type strain ranged from 15 to 43Á6%, while NCIMB 2034 hybridised with the type strain at the level of 63Á2%. DDH values between the various fish isolates ranged from 68Á2 to 93Á9% defining a new and separate DNA hybridization group differing from the E. tarda type strain consistent with the findings of phylogenetic analysis, in which the fish isolates comprised a separate clade. Conclusions: Phenotypical and genetic characterizations demonstrated that Edwardsiella isolates from fish described in this study do not belong to the species E. tarda or any of the previously established taxa within the genus Edwardsiella. The fish related strains studied here (excluding NCIMB 2034) represent, therefore, a novel species within the genus Edwardsiella for which we propose the name Edwardsiella piscicida sp. nov, with strain ET883 T (NCIMB 14824 T = CCUG 62929) as the type strain. Significance and Impact of the study: The current finding will improve the diagnosis, understanding of the epidemiology and in establishment of effective control measures against this serious fish pathogen.