Work

A One Health Perspective: Occurrence Study of Carbapenem-Resistant Bacteria and Other Emerging Pathogens from Recycled Wastewater Used in Agriculture

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: A Recycled wastewater is vital for circular economy, especially on water-scarce islands. This study explored the presence of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales and other emerging pathogens in irrigation water on four Canarian Islands, applying a One Health perspective. Using membrane filtration and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, 69 bacterial isolates were identified. The finding reveals that 50% were gram-negative bacilli like Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp., while 30% were Enterobacteriaceae, including Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli. The main mechanisms of carbapenem resistance in Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter were oxacillinases, followed by metallo-β-lactamases (MBL). In Enterobacteriaceae, characterization of carbapenemase types was less frequent, with OXA-48 being the most prevalent. The detection of multidrug-resistant organisms in recycled wastewater highlights an urgent need for routine microbiological monitoring in water management protecting public health and agricultural sustainability.

Source: Microbiology Research

DOI: 10.3390/microbiolres17010020