Bacteria Drug Resistance Makes Infections Harder To Treat

Scientists from the CSIR‑Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) and partner institutions have published the first comprehensive map of AMR in urban wastewater in Nature Communications. Using advanced shotgun metagenomics, the study analysed bacterial genes to understand how resistance develops.

Between March 2022 and March 2024, researchers examined 447 wastewater samples from 19 sites across Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. While bacterial types varied by city, the mechanisms of resistance were largely similar. Genes helped bacteria block antibiotics, break down drug molecules or push them out, and these genes spread between bacteria, heightening risk.

Klebsiella pneumoniae was more common in Chennai and Mumbai, while Pseudomonas aeruginosa dominated in Kolkata. Yet resistance genes remained consistent across all four cities. The study found resistance to tetracyclines and beta‑lactams spreads more easily than to macrolides.

Researchers urged expansion of wastewater surveillance nationwide to detect outbreaks early and track drug‑resistant pathogens in real time. “We have developed and validated a standard operating procedure that allows effective sample storage at 4°C for up to seven days without compromising data quality,” said CCMB director Vinay K Nandicoori.

He added that wider adoption of wastewater monitoring could strengthen public health systems by enabling early detection and better control of AMR.