Evaluation of Antibiotic Resistance in Bacterial Strains Isolated from Sewage of Slaughterhouses Located in Sicily (Italy)

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance is presently one of the most public health critical concerns. The frequent and often incorrect use of antibiotics in animal husbandry has led to the spread of antimicrobial resistance in this setting. Wastewater from slaughterhouses can be contaminated with multidrug-resistant bacteria, representing a possible cross-contamination route. We evaluated the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in wastewater samples from slaughterhouses located in an Italian region. Specifically, 18 slaughterhouses were included in the study. Of the tested samples, 40 bacterial strains were chosen, identified, and tested for antibiotic susceptibility. Pseudomonas spp., Proteus spp., Enterobacter spp., Aeromonas spp., and Citrobacter spp. were the most detected genera. The most resistant strains were on average those belonging to Enterobacter spp. The highest resistance rate was recorded for macrolides. Among β-lactams, penicillins and cephalosporins were by far the molecules towards which the highest resistance was detected. A very interesting finding is the difference found in strains detected in wastewater from poultry slaughterhouses, in which higher levels for almost all the considered drugs were detected compared to those from ungulates slaughterhouses. Our results indicate wastewater from slaughterhouses as a potential vehicle of resistant bacteria and highlight the importance of correct management of these kinds of waters.

Isolation of Multiresistant Bacterial Strains from Dairy Wastewater: A Public Health Concern in a One Health Perspective

“…showed less antibiotic resistance in our investigation than the other discovered genera. According to previously published research [6], these isolates exhibited moderate sensitivity to aminoglycosides, chloramphenicol, and quinolones and high resistance to penicillins, cephalosporins, and macrolides. However, we must draw attention to a few criticisms, such as the relatively high resistance to colistin and carbapenems in comparison to other strains.…”

“…Animals have the ability to propagate these strains in the environment and introduce them into slaughterhouses. The high number of slaughterhouses present in Italy makes slaughterhouse wastewater a potential route for antibiotic-resistant bacteria and environmental contamination [6].…”

Multi-Drug Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii; A Neglected Nosocomial Pathogen in the Veterinary Field as a Source of Human Infection

“…Resistant gene transmission may be through the direct contact between people and animals, eating foods containing those animals, or environmental wastewater discharge [38]. Antibiotic resistance is an issue since these will build a great environment network for the co-transfer of various bacterial species and the acquisition of a variety of resistant genes amongst bacterial diversity [39].…”