Antibiotic Resistance: From Pig to Meat

Abstract

Pork meat is in high demand worldwide and this is expected to increase. Pork is often raised in intensive conditions, which is conducive to the spread of infectious diseases. Vaccines, antibiotics, and other biosafety measures help mitigate the impact of infectious diseases. However, bacterial strains resistant to antibiotics are more and more frequently found in pig farms, animals, and the environment. It is now recognized that a holistic perspective is needed to sustainably fight antibiotic resistance, and that an integrated One Health approach is essential. With this in mind, this review tackles antibiotic resistance throughout the pork raising process, including their microbiome; many factors of their environment (agricultural workers, farms, rivers, etc.); and an overview of the impact of antibiotic resistance on pork meat, which is the end product available to consumers. Antibiotic resistance, while a natural process, is a public health concern. If we react, and act, collectively, it is expected to be, at least partially, reversible with judicious antibiotic usage and the development of innovative strategies and tools to foster animal health.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Regarding Antibiotic Use and Antibiotic Resistance: A Latent Class Analysis of a Romanian Population

“…Meat seems to be, by far, the most contaminated animal product with antibiotic residues [ 7 ]. The presence of antibiotics has been reported in poultry meat [ 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ], pork [ 10 , 13 ] and most commonly in beef [ 8 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 ]. The contamination of milk [ 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ], fish and seafood [ 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 ], and even eggs [ 29 , 30 , 31 ], with antibiotic residues has also been reported in numerous studies.…”

Impact of Antibiotic Therapies on Resistance Genes Dynamic and Composition of the Animal Gut Microbiota

“…The presence of antibiotics in the intestine exacerbates selection of resistant bacteria that can disseminate in the environment and propagate to further hosts [8][9][10][11][12]. This issue is of particular importance in food-producing animals, which can excrete resistant bacteria in the environment, which in turn can further propagate to other hosts through the environment or the food chain [13,14].…”

Assessment of listing and categorisation of animal diseases within the framework of the Animal Health Law (Regulation (EU) No 2016/429): antimicrobial‐resistant Escherichia coli in dogs and cats, horses, swine, poultry, cattle, sheep and goats

“…Furthermore, it is well known that antibiotics used in farms for the control of animals infections can be released in the environment in many ways (e.g. farm manure, used as fertiliser, wastewater), contributing to the selection and spread of AMR bacteria, including E. coli (Larsson and Flach, 2021 ; Monger et al, 2021 ). Moreover, biocides (e.g.…”

“…The E. coli transmission from swine to humans may occur through ingestion of contaminated food and/or water and by direct contact with faeces and contaminated surfaces/environment (Monger et al, 2021 ). In fact, particular strains known as human ExPEC were found on pig farms, in pigs and retail pork meat (Wasiński, 2019 ).…”

“…APEC transmission from poultry to humans may occur through ingestion of contaminated poultry products (meat and eggs) and/or water, and by direct contact with faeces and contaminated surfaces/environment (Mellata, 2013 ; Nolan et al, 2020 ; Kathayat et al, 2021 ). Transmission of ETEC from swine to humans may occur through ingestion of contaminated pork meat and/or water, and by direct contact with faeces and contaminated surfaces/environment (Wasiński, 2019 ; Monger et al, 2021 ).…”