Hospital Wastewater Controls Help Contain Antibiotic Resistance in Nearby Waters

A research team found that hospitals had limited influence on antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) profiles in nearby surface waters across 11 Chinese cities. Geography, rather than hospital type or sampling distance, primarily shaped local resistomes. Comparisons with Nepal showed substantially higher ARG levels in hospital-adjacent rivers where wastewater management was inadequate. The findings highlight how effective treatment infrastructure and regulatory enforcement can curb environmental antib