Description du projet
Zoom sur les bactériophages et la résistance aux antibiotiques
La résistance aux antibiotiques peut résulter de sources environnementales, telles que le sol, l’eau et les aliments. C’est dans ces environnements que les bactéries sont exposées aux antibiotiques ou aux agents antimicrobiens. Grâce au soutien du programme Actions Marie Skłodowska Curie, le projet PHASTER étudiera la présence, la diversité et l’abondance des bactériophages dans l’environnement afin de comprendre les mécanismes et les facteurs qui favorisent la résistance aux antibiotiques. Cette démarche est menée au moment opportun, car de récentes études laissent entendre que la résistance aux antibiotiques constatée en milieu clinique peut provenir de sources environnementales. Plus particulièrement, PHASTER étudiera les sources des gènes de résistance aux antibiotiques, leur distribution dans l’environnement et la manière dont les apports anthropiques influencent leur propagation. Pour ce faire, le projet adoptera des approches métagénomiques et bio-informatiques et mènera des expériences en mésocosme. Ses conclusions étayeront les stratégies des décideurs politiques.
Objectif
Although antibiotic resistance is a major and growing public health concern, surveillance for the expansion of this phenomenon in environmental settings has not been fully explored. However, recent studies suggest that antibiotic resistance found in clinical settings may emerge from environmental sources. In fact, the environment is continually exposed to a wide variety of antimicrobials and their metabolites through wastewater treatment plant discharges, agricultural runoff, and animal feeding operations, which may contribute to the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance. It is therefore necessary to understand the mechanisms and factors that promote antibiotic resistance. The PHASTER project aims at exploring the presence, diversity, and abundance of bacteriophages in the environment. Particular points of interest will be the study of bacteriophages that lead to the mobilization of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and their interaction with antibiotic compounds, even at extremely low concentrations, similar to those found in some aquatic environments. Mesocosm experiments will also be conducted to examine how bacterial communities respond to the presence of bacteriophages harbouring ARGs under stressful conditions, such as exposure to antibiotics. In order to reach these goals, a combination of metagenomics and bioinformatics approaches will be used to investigate the sources of ARGs, their environmental distribution and how anthropogenic inputs affect their spread. A better understanding of the mechanisms and factors that contribute to antibiotic resistance will permit the implementation of appropriate public health strategies, policies, and mitigation programs. Special attention will also be devoted to dissemination so that stakeholders and policy makers can benefit from PHASTER.
Champ scientifique
- medical and health scienceshealth sciencespublic health
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwater treatment processeswastewater treatment processes
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugsantibiotics
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacydrug resistanceantibiotic resistance
- agricultural sciencesanimal and dairy sciencedomestic animalsanimal husbandryanimal feed
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme
Régime de financement
MSCA-PF - MSCA-PFCoordinateur
17003 Girona
Espagne