Antibiotic resistance among germs swells during droughts, study suggests

A study published in Nature Microbiology by Caltech researchers found that drought conditions consistently select for and enrich antibiotic resistance in soil bacterial communities, with links to higher frequencies of resistant infections in hospitals worldwide. The mechanism involves natural antibiotics reaching higher concentrations in drying soil, selecting for resistant bacteria. With climate change expected to increase drought conditions, affected regions may face heightened emergence of antibiotic resistance.