{
  "id": 2039448,
  "title": "Building-level wastewater surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in the general, student and hospital-associated populations",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/building-level-wastewater-surveillance-of-antimicrobial-resistance-in",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-19T23:46:50.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Scientific Reports",
    "slug": "scientific-reports",
    "url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-67590-y"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A study in Perugia, Italy examined antimicrobial resistance (AMR) patterns in wastewater from three distinct sources: an urban treatment plant, a university building, and a large hospital. These samples represented the general, student, and hospital-associated populations, respectively. Monthly samples were collected from February through July 2025 and examined using both culture-based methods and quantitative PCR techniques to detect specific resistance markers.\n\nThe prevalence of third-generation cephalosporin resistant Escherichia coli (3GCR-Ec) was similar across all three populations, indicating a shared community-associated resistance background. However, vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) showed a distinct gradient, with the highest levels in hospital wastewater, intermediate levels in urban wastewater, and the lowest levels in university wastewater. Molecular analyses revealed two groups of resistance markers: a consistent group (intI1, sul1, ermB, and tetA) found across all populations, and a more variable group (qnrS, blaCTX-M, blaKPC, and vanA) that helped differentiate the population-specific AMR profiles, particularly highlighting the unique hospital-associated profiles.\n\nThese findings underscore the utility of wastewater surveillance at varying spatial scales for identifying AMR patterns linked to unique population settings and anticipated antimicrobial exposures. This research was funded by Regione Umbria as part of Italy's National Action Plan for Combating Antimicrobial Resistance (PNCAR 2022-2025).",
  "summary": "Scientific Reports, Published online: 20 August 2026; doi:10.1038/s41598-026-67590-y Building-level wastewater surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in the general, student and hospital-associated populations",
  "key_points": [
    "Wastewater surveillance tracks AMR in Perugia's general, student, and hospital populations",
    "Third-generation cephalosporin resistant E. coli prevalence consistent across populations",
    "Vancomycin-resistant enterococci levels highest in hospital wastewater"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Wastewater surveillance at building level reveals distinct antimicrobial resistance patterns associated with hospital, student, and general populations, enabling targeted interventions based on unique population settings and exposures.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}