Study of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in Wastewater from Nursing Homes and Its Link to Bacterial Carriage in Residents

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to understand how common antibiotic-resistant bacteria, specifically extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales ESBL-PE and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales CPE, are among residents in nursing homes and how these bacteria relate to their presence in the wastewater from these facilities. The study addresses the challenge of current surveillance systems that mainly use clinical samples and may miss widespread bacteria carriage in long-term care settings. It focuses on improving detection and prevention of outbreaks within healthcare networks. The study monitors nursing home residents by collecting stool samples or rectal swabs to measure the prevalence of these resistant bacteria. At the same time, wastewater discharged from the nursing homes is tested for the amount of ESBL-PE and CPE or their resistance genes. The main goal is to build a model that links the bacteria found in residents with the levels found in wastewater over a 15-month period. Participants will be evaluated through sample collection and their health and cognitive status assessed to ensure informed non-opposition to participation. Researchers will analyze the predictive accuracy of their model in estimating bacteria carriage. The study will also track the epidemiology of ESBL-PE and CPE in nursing homes, with no intervention applied. The total observation period for outcome measures spans 15 months, and participation involves sample collection and data recording during this time.

A Multicentre Study of Wastewater and Antibiotic Resistance in Care Homes.