| Project Attribute | Project Details |
|---|---|
| Project Title | Survival of mobile antibiotic resistance in water |
| EPA Project Code | 2018-W-PhD-11 |
| Lead Organisation | Maynooth University (MU) |
| Coordinator | Fiona Walsh |
| EPA Research 2014 – 2020 Theme(s) | Water: Theme 1: Safe Water EPA Research Pillars |
| Project Start and End Dates | Start: 07/01/2019 End (if applicable): 06/01/2023 Revised End Date (if applicable): |
| EPA Project Type | |
| EPA Award Type | STRIVE – Scholarships |
| Current Project Status | Grant Awarded |
| Total Funding Amount | 52000.00 |
| Project Abstract/Description | Our EU Water JPI project (Stare) identified specific mobile antibiotic resistance (AR) genes and bacteria in the effluent of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Ireland and EU. These AR genes pose a threat to the treatment of human and animal infections if they transfer to pathogenic bacteria as they confer resistance to a wide range of antibiotics. The objective of this proposal is to identify the capabilities of these AR mechanisms carried on mobile DNA (plasmids) to survive in downstream water when they are released from WWTPs. This will be achieved by characterising the genetic components of the collected AR plasmids, analysing the collected plasmids for their ability to survive in receiving water, identifying the plasmids capable of surviving and transferring to both resident water bacteria and pathogenic bacteria. The potential applications of the research findings are to describe the plasmids and AR genes emerging from WWTPs, which pose the greatest risk to human and animal health and further dissemination in the environment and enable risk assessment models to be developed. |
| EPA Scientific Officer | AliceWemaere |