Antibiotics are substances that can be able to kill or inhibit growing bacteria. Abuse and misuse of antibiotics such as the releasing their residues into the water environment may increase antibiotic resistance. Presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in environmental waters is considered a community health problem. Enteric bacteria such as E. coli, Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium are considered important fecal indicator bacteria (FBI) for water quality. FBI pose a potential health risk due to their pathogenicity and their ability to acquire antibiotic resistant genes by horizontal transfer from environmental bacteria. There is a potential of transmission of antibiotic resistance between animals and humans – either via direct, clonal transmission of bacteria or via horizontal gene transfer. For example, humans and their animals in rural Cambodia shared types of resistance genes including those giving rise to the last line antibiotics carbapenems. Although antimicrobial resistance has gained traction on the global political agenda lately, studies are still lacking regarding resistance in the environment and the potential of transmission to and between animals and humans. The project aims to 1. Characterize the resistome from a Swedish river (Fyrisån) 2. Describe genetic determinants for resistance and horizontal gene transfer as well as clonal relationship in antibiotic-resistant E.coli isolated from humans and animals in Fyrisån as well as rural Cambodia (as a model of low-income country with proximity of humans and animals)