Plastisphere Viruses: Hidden Drivers of Antibiotic Resistance

Viruses on plastic surfaces may contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance, highlighting an urgent need for more research on their role. The 'plastisphere,' a biofilm on plastics, serves as a hub for antibiotic resistance genes, with viruses potentially facilitating gene transfer among microbes.

New research points to viruses on plastic surfaces as potential contributors to the spread of antibiotic resistance, raising global public health and environmental concerns. These findings emphasize the need for intensified research on viral behaviors in plastic environments.

Microbial biofilms, known as the 'plastisphere,' rapidly form on plastics in natural settings, becoming hotspots for antibiotic resistance genes, say scientists, including those from the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

With viruses emerging as key players in gene transfer among microbes, researchers suggest they could be silent drivers of antibiotic resistance dissemination, making it crucial to understand their interactions within these plastisphere communities.

(With inputs from agencies.)