# Awareness of Microbiological Safety in Playgrounds Amid Rising Antibiotic Resistance

## TL;DR

This paper highlights the lack of microbiological safety guidelines for playgrounds and the growing risk of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in these public spaces.

## Contribution

The paper systematically reviews the current state of knowledge on microbiological safety in playgrounds and identifies critical research and policy gaps.

## Key findings

- There is a significant lack of empirical studies on microbiological safety in playgrounds globally.
- Antibiotic-resistant bacteria in playgrounds are under-researched despite their public health implications.
- Geographic disparities exist in the extent of research and understanding of this issue.

## Abstract

Playgrounds are a common feature in modern cities. Although guidelines addressing safety requirements for playground equipment have been established worldwide, none include recommendations concerning microbiological safety. Given the potential public health implications, there is a growing need to develop strategies for mitigating the risk of exposure to antibiotic‐resistant pathogens in playgrounds. The objective of this paper is to present the current state of knowledge through a systematic review of the literature, regarding microbiological safety in urban playgrounds, including an overview of the most commonly used research methodologies, the types of pathogens identified, the extent of antimicrobial resistance, and geographic differences. The review revealed significant gaps in knowledge on this topic: targeted empirical studies have been conducted relatively infrequently and only in a few countries worldwide. Even less frequently has the issue of antibiotic resistance in playground‐isolated bacteria been addressed. At the same time, antibiotic‐resistant strains represent an increasingly significant global public health concern, underscoring the need to develop global strategies to better protect playgrounds from resistant pathogens. Based on the findings, we present and discuss various factors that may influence microbiological safety in playgrounds, as well as strategies that can be implemented to address this critical issue.

Playgrounds are identified as reservoirs for antibiotic‐resistant bacteria, posing a potential public health risk. Despite the existence of safety regulations for playground equipment, microbiological safety is treated superficially. Global strategies, including hygiene practices and antibacterial materials, are needed to reduce the spread of antibiotic‐resistant bacteria on playgrounds.