According to a new study, cigarettes thrown on the ground increase antibiotic resistance.
In China, the risks posed by cigarette butts in terms of both health and the environment were investigated.
on October 27 ‘Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)’ According to the study published in the journal, cigarette butts increase antibiotic resistance.
Antibiotic resistance genes are generally carried by genetic elements and spread among microbes through gene transfer.
Cigarette butts, with their filters and chemicals, create an artificial environment for microbes.
This causes antibiotic resistance genes to spread among microbes. In other words, cigarettes thrown on the ground in public areas cause the spread of resistant bacteria in the environment.
Ji-Yang Hu of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing “The results show that cigarette butts act as microbial reservoirs in public spaces, which pose a risk to public health.” he said.
According to the research, antibiotic resistance genes in cigarette butts are 1.24 times more than in vegetable waste. Compared to soil, this rate increases to 1.48 times.
antibiotic resistance
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According to the news by Mesude Demir from Diken, 700 thousand people die every year due to antibiotic resistance. It is estimated that this number will reach 10 million in 2050.
Expert Dr. from the Turkish Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Association (KLİMİK). Ceren Atasoy Woodbeard says that antibiotic resistance occurs as follows:
“Resistance occurs as a result of microorganisms developing adaptations to antibiotics. This may make it difficult or impossible to use antibiotics for treatment purposes.
Antibiotic resistance can also generally occur as multidrug resistance. “This means that a bacterial strain develops resistance to one or more different antibiotics.”
Causes of antibiotic resistance
- Incorrect or unnecessary use
- Failure to follow dosage instructions
- Use of antibiotics in agriculture and animal husbandry
- Poor hygiene conditions
With the latest research, cigarettes thrown on the ground were added to these reasons.
