Hygiene may attenuate selection for antibiotic resistance by changing microbial community structure
(2023) In Evolution, Medicine and Public Health 11(1).- Abstract
Good hygiene, in both health care and the community, is central to containing the rise of antibiotic resistance, as well as to infection control more generally. But despite the well-known importance, the ecological mechanisms by which hygiene (or other transmission control measures) affect the evolution of resistance remain to be elucidated. Using metacommunity ecology theory, we here propose that hygiene attenuates the effect of antibiotic selection pressure. Specifically, we predict that hygiene limits the scope for antibiotics to induce competitive release of resistant bacteria within treated hosts, and that this is due to an effect of hygiene on the distribution of resistant and sensitive strains in the host population. We show this... (More)
Good hygiene, in both health care and the community, is central to containing the rise of antibiotic resistance, as well as to infection control more generally. But despite the well-known importance, the ecological mechanisms by which hygiene (or other transmission control measures) affect the evolution of resistance remain to be elucidated. Using metacommunity ecology theory, we here propose that hygiene attenuates the effect of antibiotic selection pressure. Specifically, we predict that hygiene limits the scope for antibiotics to induce competitive release of resistant bacteria within treated hosts, and that this is due to an effect of hygiene on the distribution of resistant and sensitive strains in the host population. We show this in a mathematical model of bacterial metacommunity dynamics, and test the results against data on antibiotic resistance, antibiotic treatment, and the use of alcohol-based hand rub in long-term care facilities. The data are consistent with hand rub use attenuating the resistance promoting effect of antibiotic treatment. Our results underscore the importance of hygiene, and point to a concrete way to weaken the link between antibiotic use and increasing resistance.
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- author
- Aspenberg, Magnus LU ; Maad Sasane, Sara LU ; Nilsson, Fredrik ; Brown, Sam P. and Wollein Waldetoft, Kristofer
- organization
- publishing date
- 2023
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- antibiotic resistance, competitive release, ecology, hygiene, metacommunity ecology
- in
- Evolution, Medicine and Public Health
- volume
- 11
- issue
- 1
- publisher
- Oxford University Press
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:36687161
- scopus:85160415521
- ISSN
- 2050-6201
- DOI
- 10.1093/emph/eoac038
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 0d2a418c-6bda-4261-bd47-ebd0e1c4c0a6
- date added to LUP
- 2023-08-30 15:03:35
- date last changed
- 2024-04-20 02:15:26
@article{0d2a418c-6bda-4261-bd47-ebd0e1c4c0a6,
abstract = {{<p>Good hygiene, in both health care and the community, is central to containing the rise of antibiotic resistance, as well as to infection control more generally. But despite the well-known importance, the ecological mechanisms by which hygiene (or other transmission control measures) affect the evolution of resistance remain to be elucidated. Using metacommunity ecology theory, we here propose that hygiene attenuates the effect of antibiotic selection pressure. Specifically, we predict that hygiene limits the scope for antibiotics to induce competitive release of resistant bacteria within treated hosts, and that this is due to an effect of hygiene on the distribution of resistant and sensitive strains in the host population. We show this in a mathematical model of bacterial metacommunity dynamics, and test the results against data on antibiotic resistance, antibiotic treatment, and the use of alcohol-based hand rub in long-term care facilities. The data are consistent with hand rub use attenuating the resistance promoting effect of antibiotic treatment. Our results underscore the importance of hygiene, and point to a concrete way to weaken the link between antibiotic use and increasing resistance.</p>}},
author = {{Aspenberg, Magnus and Maad Sasane, Sara and Nilsson, Fredrik and Brown, Sam P. and Wollein Waldetoft, Kristofer}},
issn = {{2050-6201}},
keywords = {{antibiotic resistance; competitive release; ecology; hygiene; metacommunity ecology}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{1}},
publisher = {{Oxford University Press}},
series = {{Evolution, Medicine and Public Health}},
title = {{Hygiene may attenuate selection for antibiotic resistance by changing microbial community structure}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/emph/eoac038}},
doi = {{10.1093/emph/eoac038}},
volume = {{11}},
year = {{2023}},
}