Potable water systems: an underexplored transmission pathway in antibiotic resistance:

Noah  Obeng-Nkrumah; Appiah-Korang  Labi; Japheth A  Opintan

doi:10.46829/hsijournal.2026.4.8.2.1437-1441

Noah Obeng-Nkrumah Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
Appiah-Korang Labi Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Ghana Medical School, College of Health Sciences, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana
Japheth A Opintan Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Ghana Medical School, College of Health Sciences, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana

DOI: https://doi.org/10.46829/hsijournal.2026.4.8.2.1437-1441

Keywords: Potable water, antibiotic resistance, transmission pathways, health impact, interventions

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remains a critical global health threat despite advances in conventional control measures such as stewardship, surveillance, and infection prevention. Emerging evidence suggests that environmental pathways, particularly potable water systems, may represent significant conduits for AMR transmission, yet the contribution of these pathways to human infection and colonization remains underexplored. In low- and middle-income country settings, vulnerabilities and inequities in drinking water infrastructure may further amplify AMR transmission risk. Rigorous investigations integrating genomic, epidemiological, and infrastructure assessments are essential to determine the role of drinking water in human colonization and infection. Such evidence is urgently needed to inform targeted interventions, particularly for vulnerable urban populations and healthcare settings where water-mediated transmission may significantly contribute to the overall AMR burden.

Potable water systems: an underexplored transmission pathway in antibiotic resistance

Potable water is an overlooked AMR dissemination pathway

Abstract