The Microbial Trojan Horse and Antimicrobial Resistance: Acanthamoeba as an Environmental Reservoir for Multidrug Resistant Bacteria.

ABSTRACT: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is shaped by environmental pressures, yet the role of microbial predators such as Acanthamoeba in resistance dynamics remains poorly characterized. In this study, Acanthamoeba-associated bacterial communities (AAB) exhibited significantly higher multidrug resistance than sediment-associated bacterial communities (SAB) in a polluted estuarine system. All isolated amoebae belonged to the T4 genotype, suggesting selection for resilient host organisms. AAB displayed elevated multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) indices and increased resistance to multiple antibiotic classes, particularly aminoglycosides, macrolides, fluoroquinolones and β-lactams. Correlation analysis revealed that resistance in AAB, but not SAB, was associated with potentially toxic elements (PT

SUBMITTER: Mooney R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12572456 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature