The Guardian

‘Drinking from a fetid pond’: superbug-creating genes found in UK’s largest lake


Exclusive: Lough Neagh, which supplies drinking water for 40% of NI, contains genes resistant to last-resort antibiotics

Genes capable of creating antibiotic-resistant superbugs have been detected in the UK’s largest lake, which supplies drinking water to about 40% of Northern Ireland.

Testing of water from Lough Neagh, which has a surface area 26 times bigger than Windermere, found genes resistant to a wide range of antibiotics, including carbapenems – drugs reserved for life-threatening infections when all other treatments have failed.

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Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/mar/14/lough-neagh-northern-ireland-genes-antibiotic-resistance-superbugs

Author : Rachel Salvidge

Publish date : 2026-03-14 05:00:00

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Tags : The Guardian