Cross-Media Transmission of Microbial Pollutants: Interfaces, Mechanisms, and Ecological Risks‌

Within the One Health framework, microorganisms act as key interfaces connecting human, animal, and environmental health systems. Cross-media microbial dynamics—particularly the movement of pathogens and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) determinants among air, water, soil, and biotic surfaces—have become a defining factor influencing spillover risk and ecosystem resilience. Documented transmission pathways such as aerosolization of soil- or wastewater-derived microbes, surface runoff transporting fecal indicator bacteria to receiving waters, and fomite-mediated spread of viable pathogens demonstrate how environmental reservoirs directly contribute to human exposure, creating measurable, taxon-specific public health risks. For instance, Escherichia coli strains carrying stress-response and AMR genes show enhanced tolerance to desiccation and oxidative stress during atmospheric transport, promoting phenotypic diversification such as biofilm formation and persisted cell development that increase environmental persistence and infectivity. However, important knowledge gaps remain regarding the mechanistic drivers, quantitative kinetics, and ecological contexts that shape microbial survival, dispersal, and functional adaptation across media.This Research Topic aims to advance integrative, One Health–oriented research on the cross-media dynamics of biological contamination, specifically: • Atmospheric transmission pathways of microbes originating from terrestrial and aquatic reservoirs; • Environmental and anthropogenic factors influencing spillover likelihood and pathogen viability across media boundaries• Evidence-based, multisectoral strategies for mitigating zoonotic, environmental, and AMR-related disease emergence. Submissions addressing these topics, through field monitoring, experimental simulation, or modeling, are warmly invited.Please note that descriptive articles which only including omics or amplicon data will not be accepted by Frontiers in Microbiology - Systems Microbiology section. Topic editors: Changliang Nie, Sana Kabdrakhmanova Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/84196/cross-media-transmission-of-microbial-pollutants-interfaces-mechanisms-and-ecological-risks