Antipsychotic quetiapine alters the mouse fecal resistome by impacting antibiotic efflux, cell membrane, and cell wall synthesis genes.

Abstract

This study significantly contributes to our understanding of how certain medications can unintentionally contribute to a major global health issue, i.e., antibiotic resistance. Quetiapine, a widely used antipsychotic medication, was found to increase key resistance mechanisms of gut bacteria to antibiotics in mice. Specifically, these data suggest that quetiapine may target elements of the bacterial cell membrane. If similar effects are found in humans, this medicine could unexpectedly make it harder to treat certain infections. This research emphasizes the importance of being mindful about not just antibiotics themselves, but also about other medications that could inadvertently contribute to this problem. Ultimately, these findings underline the necessity for more in-depth research on the broader impact of pharmaceuticals.