An Italian-led Sea Care study found antibiotic-resistance genes across multiple ocean basins, including remote waters, with higher concentrations near busy shipping routes and densely populated coasts.
An Italian-led research project has found antibiotic-resistance genes across multiple ocean basins, including remote waters, according to reporting on the Sea Care study.
The findings point to a global marine footprint for resistance genes, with higher concentrations reported near busy shipping routes and densely populated coastal areas. The study covered the Mediterranean, Atlantic and Arctic, along with other marine regions.
The report adds to concern that human activity is helping spread antimicrobial resistance beyond hospitals and land-based environments. Researchers involved in the Sea Care project presented the work through Italian institutions connected to the study.
The coverage available so far does not provide the full dataset, sampling details or methods in news form, so the public reporting is best read as an early snapshot of a broader research effort rather than a complete technical release.
Even so, the result is notable because it suggests resistance genes are present in waters far from major population centers, while still clustering more heavily around areas shaped by shipping and coastal development.
Revision note
Initial automated publication.