Scientists have identified bacterial¹ genes² that lead to antibiotic³ resistance, including several that can be resistant⁴ to most powerful antibiotics⁵, in air samples from Beijing, which is frequently cloaked in heavy smog,

科学家已经在北京的空气样本中鉴定出导致抗生素抗药性的细菌基因，包括可以对抗最强抗生素的细菌基因，这种细菌基因时常隐藏在浓重的雾霾之中。

Researchers from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden analysed 864 DNA⁶ samples taken from humans, animals and environments worldwide and found Beijing smog carried the largest number and types of genes identical or highly similar to antibiotic resistance genes (ARG).

来自瑞典哥德堡大学的研究人员分析了来自全世界的人类、动物和环境的864个DNA样本，发现北京的雾霾中携带的与抗生素抗药性基因（ARG）相同或高度相似的基因数量最大且种类最多。

Microbial communities from Beijing smog harboured as many as 64.4 different types of ARG.

来自北京雾霾的微生物群拥有多达64.4种不同类型的抗生素抗药性基因。

The researchers also identified in the Beijing smog metagenomes that contained several genes resistant to carbapenems, a class of last-resort antibiotics for treating challenging bacterial infections.

研究人员还鉴定出北京雾霾的元基因组中含有几种具有碳青霉烯类抗药性的基因，碳青霉烯类是用于治疗具有挑战性细菌感染最后求助的抗生素。

"This may be a more important means of transmission than previously⁷ thought," Joakim Larsson, who led the research, said in a statement.

主导这项研究的乔吉姆·拉尔森在一份声明中表示：“空气可能会是抗生素耐药性传播的重要途径，而这之前没有被意识到。”

Larsson is a professor at the Sahlgrenska Academy of the University of Gothenburg and director of the institution's Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research.

拉尔森是哥德堡大学萨尔格伦斯卡学院的一位教授，同时也是抗生素耐药性研究中心的主任。

The research did not state whether the bacteria were alive in the air, which would significantly increase the level of threat.

该研究并没有说明这种将大大增加威胁水平的细菌是否还存活在空气中。

"It is reasonable to believe that there is a mixture of live and dead bacteria, based on experience from other studies of air," Larsson said.

拉尔森说道：“根据其他关于空气的研究，我们有理由相信，空气里混有死的和活的细菌。”