Antimicrobial Resistance Arising from Food-Animal Productions and Its Mitigation

Changes in diversity of cultured bacteria resistant to erythromycin and tetracycline in swine manure during simulated composting and lagoon storage

“…Animal manure, which amounts to 180 million tons (dry matter) per year in the US (Roe and Pillai ), constitutes the single largest reservoir of AR arising from food‐animal production (Chee‐Sanford et al . ; Wang and Yu ). Besides, residual antimicrobials that escaped absorption by host animals wind up in animal manure.…”

Emerging Priorities for Microbiome Research

“…The massive uses of antibiotics have turned wastewater into an environmental reservoir of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Therefore, without appropriate treatments, wastewater may disseminate antibiotic resistance to various environments, such as soil, groundwater and surface water through seepage and runoff (Wang and Yu, 2012). Eventually, ARB and ARGs enter the food chain through crops grown on the affected land and aquaculture products (Wang and Yu, 2012).…”

“…Therefore, without appropriate treatments, wastewater may disseminate antibiotic resistance to various environments, such as soil, groundwater and surface water through seepage and runoff (Wang and Yu, 2012). Eventually, ARB and ARGs enter the food chain through crops grown on the affected land and aquaculture products (Wang and Yu, 2012). Increasing levels of contamination, from antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes in water bodies and bottom sediments, promote the abundance of drug resistance genes in the microbiota of animals exposed to those water bodies (Amos et al, 2014).…”

Impact of antibiotics used as growth promoters on bacterial resistance

“…This practice has been maintained in many countries despite the fact that repeated exposure of bacteria to subminimum inhibitory concentrations was identified as a key factor which induces resistance (Kemper, 2008; EMEA, 1999; Ambrožič Avguštin, 2012). More than half of the total annual antibiotic production in the US and some other countries is spent in food-animal production (Wang and Yu, 2012), and as much as 60-80% of the total is used for non-therapeutic purposes (Chapin et al, 2005). Excessive use of antibiotics in animal husbandry is connected to high risks of the selection, spread and the persistence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria.…”

“…Even more worrying is the fact that the same or similar antibiotics are used in vast quantities in food-producing animals and agriculture. In addition, intensive animal farming has mainly been based on continuous antibiotic administration in subtherapeutic doses as growth promoters, to increase feed efficiency, and in disease prevention (Katsunuma et al, 2007; Modi et al, 2011; Schmieder and Edwards, 2012; Wang and Yu, 2012). This practice has been maintained in many countries despite the fact that repeated exposure of bacteria to subminimum inhibitory concentrations was identified as a key factor which induces resistance (Kemper, 2008; EMEA, 1999; Ambrožič Avguštin, 2012).…”