Research advances on effects of common insecticides on antibiotic resistance in environmental bacteria
- VernacularTitle:常用杀虫剂对环境中细菌抗生素耐药性影响的研究进展
- Author:
Shunjie HUANG
1
;
Juxiao LI
1
;
Huiyun ZOU
2
Author Information
- Publication Type:Review
- Keywords: insecticide; bacteria; antibiotic resistance; antibiotic resistance gene; mobile genetic element; spread
- From: Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2026;43(8):1039-1048
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
- Abstract: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global public health challenge. In addition to antibiotic selection pressure, insecticides have attracted increasing attention as widely used non-antibiotic chemicals that may contribute to the emergence and dissemination of bacterial resistance in the environment. This review focused on common insecticides, including organophosphorus insecticides, pyrethroids, and neonicotinoids, and summarized current evidence on their effects on the emergence of AMR, and the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Existing studies suggest that exposure to certain insecticides may reduce bacterial susceptibility to antibiotics and is associated with the proliferation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, enrichment of ARGs, co-enrichment of mobile genetic elements (MGEs), and enhanced horizontal gene transfer. Potential mechanisms include changes in antibiotic target-related pathways, decreased membrane permeability, activation of efflux pumps, and enzymatic modification or degradation of antibiotics. The dissemination of ARGs may also be promoted through reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, activation of the SOS response, altered cell membrane permeability, changes in extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) synthesis, altered energy metabolism, and regulation of transfer-related genes. Overall, insecticides may act as non-antibiotic selective pressures involved in the evolution and dissemination of bacterial resistance. However, current evidence is still largely derived from laboratory exposure experiments and cross-sectional investigations, and differences among compounds, and long-term risks under real environmental conditions require further clarified. This review may help improve understanding of the environmental health implications of insecticide-associated bacterial resistance and inform risk assessment and prevention strategies for AMR in environmental settings.
