Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) continues to expand through under-recognized ecological routes. This PREPARE-TID webinar examined overlooked transmission pathways — from extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli in companion animals to the resistome hidden in urban air. The session highlighted how One Health molecular surveillance can reveal reservoirs of resistance that lie beyond hospitals and farms.
Dogs and airborne particulates may represent underestimated contributors to the AMR crisis. In this PREPARE-TID webinar, leading experts explored how close human–animal contact and microbial dispersal through the atmosphere can shape resistance epidemiology.
How do we detect silent reservoirs of AMR before they amplify into public health risks? This session focused on novel surveillance approaches, ranging from veterinary molecular epidemiology to high-volume aerosol sampling coupled with metagenomics.
The webinar, titled “Overlooked AMR Transmission Pathways: Characterizing Zoonotic Vectors and Airborne Resistomes through Molecular Surveillance”, was hosted by Xpedite Diagnostics as part of the EU-funded PREPARE-TID consortium series.
Featured speakers included:
- Assoc. Prof. Olga Makarova, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna
- Dr. Sofya Pozdniakova, Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal)
Prof. Makarova presented new data showing a 14.8% prevalence of ESBL-producing E. coli in dogs attending a Vienna veterinary clinic, compared to 6.2% across Europe. Genomic analysis revealed high-risk extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli lineages (ST131, ST38, ST141), often multidrug-resistant and genetically linked to human isolates. She emphasized the role of pets as spillover hosts and the need for AMR surveillance strategies that extend beyond food-producing animals.
Dr. Pozdniakova demonstrated how shotgun metagenomics of aerosol filters uncovers the airborne resistome. Her team detected resistance genes to aminoglycosides, tetracyclines, and β-lactams in urban air samples, with distinct microbial fingerprints across districts. She discussed how air acts as a dispersal medium for resistant microbes, with implications for both outdoor and indoor environments, including hospitals and care facilities.
The live Q&A addressed antibiotic stewardship in veterinary practice, technical challenges in ultra-low biomass metagenomics, and the importance of complementary culture-based and sequencing approaches.
- Watch the full webinar recording (here)
- To request slides or explore collaboration opportunities, contact us (here)
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