Antibiotic resistance is a global concern, as it renders life-saving medications ineffective. Peiju Fang, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany, and Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China, Diala Konyali, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany, and colleagues have studied the effect of toxic compounds from cigarette smoke, ashes, and filters on the spread of antibiotic resistance genes in human lung and environmental microbiomes.
The researchers found that pollutants from cigarette smoke and waste can promote the growth and spread of resistant germs in the environment. Cigarette filters contain many toxic substances from the smoke, and when they end up in water, they attract potentially harmful bacteria with antibiotic resistance. These bacteria thrive on the filters due to their ability to adapt to harsh conditions. used cigarette filters were colonized by different microbial communities compared to unused filters. The contaminated cigarette butts can then be carried into rivers, other bodies of water, or onto beaches, spreading dangerous bacteria. This highlights the need for stricter measures against littering cigarette butts and points to another hidden health risk of smoking, according to the researchers.
Smokers may also contribute to the faster spread of resistant germs in their own lungs, which could reduce the effectiveness of antibiotics for future lung infections. Bacteria can exchange resistance genes via plasmids—small DNA molecules shared between bacteria—leading to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In experiments with artificial lung fluid, researchers demonstrated that the toxic substances from cigarette smoke trigger a stress response in bacteria, doubling the rate at which resistance genes are passed between them.
- Effects of cigarette-derived compounds on the spread of antimicrobial resistance in artificial human lung sputum medium, simulated environmental media and wastewater,
Peiju Fang, Diala Konyali, Emily Fischer, Robin Pascal Mayer, Jin Huang, Alan Xavier Elena, Gerit Hartmut Orzechowski, Andrew Tony-Odigie, David Kneis, Alexander Dalpke, Peter Krebs, Bing Li, Thomas U. Berendonk, Uli Klümper,
Environmental Health Perspectives 2025.
https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP14704
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