The first mapping of antibiotic resistance genes along the entire Danube River

© I. Schachner-Groehs

The global spread of antibiotic resistance in the environment poses a growing threat to public health. Large rivers are of particular importance, as they are important lifelines and at the same time are heavily polluted by wastewater discharges. In a large-scale collaboration between ICC Water & Health, MedUni Graz, IFA Tulln and international co-operation partners, the spatial and temporal occurrence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARG) along 2311 km of the navigable Danube was investigated for the first time.

The integration of modern faecal pollution diagnostics with key ecological and chemical parameters made it possible to link ARG concentrations with the most important sources of pollution to explain the observed resistance patterns. Pollution from human sewage was the dominant factor for the observed ARG patterns along the Danube. Other significant correlations of specific ARGs were observed with discharge, certain metals and pesticides. Animal faecal pollution was only sporadically detectable and was less strongly correlated with ARG.

The study, recently published in the number 1 journal of our research area, provides the first comprehensive baseline ARG values along the Danube and lays the foundation for future monitoring of trends and the recommendation of targeted management measures.

The study

Schachner-Groehs I, Koller M, Leopold M, Kolm C, Linke RB, Jakwerth S, Kolarevic S, Kracun-Kolarevic M, Kandler W, Sulyok M, Vierheilig J, Toumi M, Farkas R, Toth E, Kittinger C, Zarfel G, Farnleitner AH & Kirschner AKT (2024) Linking Antibiotic Resistance Gene Patterns with Advanced Faecal Pollution Assessment and Environmental Key Parameters along 2300 km of the Danube River. Water Research 252, 12124