Farm level risk factors for fluoroquinolone resistance inE. coliand thermophilicCampylobacterspp. on poultry farms

Abstract

Data on husbandry practices, performance, disease and drug use were collected during a cross-sectional survey of 89 poultry meat farms in England and Wales to provide information on possible risk factors for the occurrence of fluoroquinolone (FQ)-resistant bacteria. Faeces samples were used to classify farms as "affected" or "not affected" by FQ-resistant (FQr) Escherichia coli or Campylobacter spp. Risk factor analysis identified the use of FQ on the farms as having by far the strongest association, among the factors considered, with the occurrence of FQr bacteria. Resistant E. coli and/or Campylobacter spp. were found on 86% of the farms with a history of FQ use. However, a substantial proportion of farms with no history of FQ use also yielded FQr organisms, suggesting that resistant bacteria may transfer between farms. Further analysis suggested that for Campylobacter spp., on-farm hygiene, cleaning and disinfection between batches of birds and wildlife control were of most significance. By contrast, for E. coli biosecurity from external contamination was of particular importance, although the modelling indicated that other factors were likely to be involved. Detailed studies on a small number of sites showed that FQr E. coli can survive routine cleaning and disinfection. It appears difficult to avoid the occurrence of resistant bacteria when FQ are used on a farm, but the present findings provide evidence to support recommendations to reduce the substantial risk of the incidental acquisition of such resistance by farms where FQ are not used.

Antimicrobial Resistance on Farms: A Review Including Biosecurity and the Potential Role of Disinfectants in Resistance Selection

“…A related investigation of 89 broiler and turkey farms (Taylor et al, 2016) similarly found FQ use was a clear risk factor (OR 14.7), but FQ resistance was present on many units without reported use of such antimicrobials. Of the additional risk factors at or near conventional significance, wild bird access to poultry houses was a positive risk (OR 10.3, P < 0.017) while three hygiene measures (provision of a face mask to staff, all detailed areas being dusted, and feed hoppers being cleaned and disinfected) were apparently protective.…”

“…There is ample epidemiological evidence that antibiotic usage in humans is causally related to the emergence and increased degree of AMR in treated populations (Hawkey & Jones, 2009; Scientific Advisory Group on Antimicrobials of the Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use, 2009). Observational studies and risk factor analyses of commensal and pathogenic bacteria among veterinary species at farm and national levels (Bosman, Wagenaar, Stegeman, Vernooij, & Mevius, 2014;Dierikx, van der Goot, Smith, Kant, & Mevius, 2013;Dohmen et al, 2017;Prášek,Šperling, Lobová, Smola, &Čížek, 2014; Scientific Advisory Group on Antimicrobials of the Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use, 2009;Taylor, Clifton-Hadley, Wales, Ridley, & Davies, 2009;Taylor, Wales, Ridley, & Davies, 2016) also provide convincing evidence of such an association between antimicrobial usage and resistance. Well-established mechanisms for this include: mutations that affect antibiotic target sites or increase the expression or spectrum of existing resistance genes, and selection for horizontal spread of resistance genes (Scientific Advisory Group on Antimicrobials of the Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use, 2009).…”

“…Among breeding flocks (albeit with a small data set), risk was increased in association with flocks that were larger or that had used FQ in the previous year, whereas frequently changed foot dips were apparently protective. Another U.K. study, of the presence of ciprofloxacin-resistant E. coli in turkeys and broiler production flocks (Taylor et al, 2016), identified certain biosecurity features as risk factors, that is, public perimeter path (positive; OR 4.1, P = 0.019) and perimeter fence (protective; OR 0.27, P = 0.014). The use of FQ and single-handed operation were also positive risk factors.…”

“…Consequently, there are aspects of biosecurity relating to wildlife, both external (for example, excluding wild birds from feed stores) and internal (for example, rodent control), which are likely to assist the control of AMR. Indeed, Taylor et al (2016) identified wild bird access to poultry houses as a risk factor for FQ resistance among Campylobacter in poultry. However, robust data in this general area are lacking at present.…”

“…Given the well-documented difficulties in removing bacterial pathogens from animal accommodation (Boughton, Egan, Kelly, Markey, & Leonard, 2007;Carrique-Mas, Marin, Breslin, McLaren, & Davies, 2009;Mannion, Lynch, Egan, & Leonard, 2007;Mueller-Doblies, Carrique-Mas, Sayers, & Davies, 2010;Wales et al, 2009), it cannot be assumed that AMR organisms will be any easier to eliminate. Indeed, in a hatchery, on broiler farms and in an abattoir lairage, AMR Salmonella and/or E. coli have been found to persist after C&D (Bolton, Ivory, & McDowell, 2013;Taylor et al, 2016).…”