Plastic waste as the potential carriers of pathogens

Plastic waste is a serious and growing environmental problem. Microorganisms on the surface of macroplastics and microplastics are closely related to environmental and biological health. Currently, various microorganisms including pathogenic ones have been found on plastics’ surface, which implies plastics may act as carriers of pathogenic bacteria and viruses, leading to the spread of diseases. Moreover, transfer of antibiotic resistance genes between microorganisms on the surface of plastics may favor the persistence of pathogens in the environment. However, it is still unknown whether plastic waste participate in pathogens transmission and cause disease due to the limited researches. Here, we reviewed the current knowledge regarding plastic-associated pathogenic bacteria and viruses, attempting to comprehend the ambiguous questions of the potential health risk of plastics as carriers of pathogens.