Research Warns Against Link In Between Weed Killers and Antibiotic Resistance

(Newswire.net — November 1, 2021) Orlando, FL — Health authorities have long been warning against the dangers of antibiotic resistance, which is now considered a global health threat. 

A study carried out by researchers from the University of York reveals that the use of weed killers increases the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the soil. 

It is worth noting that herbicides are one of the most widely-used chemicals in agriculture. These compounds are particularly used to target weeds, but they are found damaging to soil microbes like fungi and bacteria. 

Through their effects, they have a strong potential to alter the ecological properties of microbial communities.

Researchers from China and the UK looked into the effect of three widely used herbicides namely, glyphosate, glufosinate, and dicamba on soil bacterial communities.

Through the use of soil microcosms, scientists found that herbicides ended up increasing the relative abundance of bacterial species carrying antibiotic resistance genes. This was due to the fact that mutations enhancing the growth in the presence of herbicides also increased bacterial tolerance to antibiotics. 

It’s further been found exposure to herbicides resulted in a more frequent movement of antibiotic resistance genes between bacteria.

They further found the same patterns in agricultural fields across 11 Chinese provinces where levels of residues in soils and herbicide application history were associated with increased levels of antibiotic resistance genes.

“Our results suggest that the use of herbicides could indirectly drive antibiotic resistance evolution in agricultural soil microbiomes, which are repeatedly exposed to herbicides during weed control,” said Dr. Ville Friman from the Department of Biology.

The researchers further revealed that antibiotic resistance genes were favored at concentrations of herbicide not particularly lethal to bacteria. This demonstrates that already extremely low levels of herbicides could produce significant changes in the genetic composition of soil bacterial populations. 

More studies are still underway to look into the dangerous effects of antibiotic resistance. It is important to note that experts have been stressing the relevance of not misusing or overusing this medication. 

Antibiotics are used often for urinary tract infections, which are highly preventable through some all-natural remedies. These include cranberry juice or superior-quality supplements like Divine Bounty D-mannose.

D-mannose is a therapeutic, harmless sugar in cranberry thought to be one of the reasons why the drink has UTI-fighting benefits. 

Divine Bounty D-mannose is known for its high potency and is made carefully in an FDA-inspected facility in the U.S. It is widely used by individuals with recurrent UTIs and is thought to be helpful in lessening the need for antibiotics. (http://amazon.com/D-Mannose-600mg-Cranberry-Dandelion-Extract/dp/B01LX5KGF0)