How are climate change and environmental pollution affecting the spread of pathogens in water? This isn’t fully understood yet, which is why a team from the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS) in Italy is researching the potential spread of pathogens (PSP).

Their test site is Lake Paola, also known as Lake Sabaudia. It’s a coastal brackish lake in Lazio, with an area of about 3.9km2. The study will focus particularly on the antibiotic-resistant profiles of pathogens, which is of great concern to public health.

What are we doing?

In this study, the team from ISS is investigating pathogens in Lake Paola. What is the antibiotic-resistant profile of these pathogens, and what is their spread?

The research aims to improve our understanding of the relationship between climate change and the increase in bug-resistant strains of pathogens. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) happens when bacteria and viruses evolve to stop responding to medication. This has serious implications for human health, treatment and infection spread.

If we have more knowledge about the AMR and routes of waterborne pathogens, we are better able to plan and prevent them. The PSP index will be further developed and used to map the potential exposure routes of pathogens, while exploring the relationship between their spread and the environmental changes caused by climate change and pollution.

Timeline

Here’s what the Lake Paola project involves:

Why is this important?

The impact of warming waters and environmental pollution on pathogens is still not fully understood. This study contributes to BlueAdapt aims to provide scientific evidence on the influence of climate change on how waterborne pathogens spread – and adapt to become multi-drug-resistant.

If we are to plan for potential waterborne disease outbreaks, we need to understand two things: the exposure routes of pathogens and their antibiotic-resistant profiles. This needs to be studied in the context of climate change, so we’re better prepared for the future.