India, July 31 -- Researchers in Tshwane found that standard wastewater treatment fails to remove extracellular DNA carrying antimicrobial resistance genes, including those linked to last-resort antibiotics.

These genes can be taken up by environmental microbes, allowing resistance to spread without live bacteria.

The study calls for technologies like UV, ozonation and ultrafiltration, plus improved surveillance and public awareness.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is defined as the ability of disease-causing microorganisms to withstand treatments like antibiotics.

Often described as a silent pandemic, it is already responsible for an estimated 1.27 million deaths each year, with the highest burden in Africa.

Efforts to tackle antibio...