Clouds can harbor antibiotic-resistant bacteria and carry them over long distances, according to a study by Kranali and French researchers, the results of which were published in an international peer-reviewed scientific journal.
For the research, samples were collected from clouds at an altitude of 1,465 meters above sea level.
In the analysis, it was understood that there are an average of 8,000 bacteria in one milliliter of cloud water.
29 subtypes of antibiotic-resistant genes were identified in these bacteria.
Scientists explained that bacteria living on the surface of the vegetation or in the soil are carried to the atmosphere by the wind and rise to high altitudes.
According to experts, up to 50 percent of these bacteria are alive and unlikely to harm human health.
Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria are exposed to a particular antibiotic group for a long time.
Antibiotics that lose their effect on bacteria become dysfunctional and patients’ recovery times are prolonged.
Experts recommend avoiding unnecessary use of antibiotics to prevent antibiotic resistance.