Presence of Antibiotic Residues and Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria in Cattle Manure Intended for Fertilization of Agricultural Fields: A One Health Perspective

Abstract

Antibiotic resistant bacteria and antibiotic residues can enter the environment when using animal manure as fertilizer. Twenty-five mixed beef cattle farmyard manure samples and 9 mixed fattening calf slurry samples from different farms across Belgium were investigated for the presence of 69 antibiotic residues, antibiotic resistant Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. Doxycycline, oxytetracycline, ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin, flumequine and lincomycin were detected in all fattening calf slurry samples with mean concentrations of 2776, 4078, 48, 31, 536 and 36 µg/kg manure, respectively. Sulfadiazine was detected at a mean concentration of 10,895 µg/kg. Further, antibiotic residues were found in only 4 of the 25 beef cattle farmyard manure samples. Oxytetracycline was detected twice below 500 µg/kg. Paromomycin, ciprofloxacin and enrofloxacin were detected in a concentration below 100 µg/kg. Of E. coli isolates, 88% and 23% from fattening calf slurry and beef cattle farmyard manure, respectively, were resistant to at least one of the antibiotics tested. Multi-drug resistance was observed at a maximum of 10 and 7 antibiotics, respectively. The occurrence of antibiotic resistant E. coli and antibiotic residues is shown to be higher in fattening calf slurry than in beef cattle farmyard manure used for agricultural field fertilization.

Nutrient concentrations affect the antimicrobial resistance profiles of cattle manures

“…Quinolones have been reported to be persistent in manure with dissipation time (DT 90 ) ranging from 100 to 5800 days (Berendsen et al 2018 ). In a recent study, nalidixic acid–resistant E. coli was found in beef cattle farmyard manure, which contributed to 1.2% of the total resistant isolates (Huygens et al 2021 ). In the current study, the cultivable bacteria present in the manure samples showed significant resistance (22%) against nalidixic acid.…”

“…Out of the total AMR recorded in manure samples, ampicillin and sulfadiazine resistance contributed to 14% and 13%, respectively. Sulfonamides are widely present in human and animal wastes (Adekanmbi et al 2020 ; Huygens et al 2021 ). A recent study reported that 75% of sulfonamide-resistant bacteria were found to be resistant to ampicillin (Adekanmbi et al 2020 ), which is in accordance with the data obtained in the present study.…”

Experimental Evidence for Manure-Borne Bacteria Invasion in Soil During a Coalescent Event: Influence of the Antibiotic Sulfamethazine

“…On the other hand, the resistance of telluric communities to invasion can be enhanced after a rst invasion [20]. Another factor that can modulate invasion events in autochthonous microbiota refers to the possible presence of antibiotics in manure, which is frequently reported in the literature [21,22]. These contaminants may disturb interaction patterns of microbial communities according to the antibiotic sensitivity pro le of their respective members [23,24], thus favoring the emergence of communities that would differ from those obtained under antibiotic-free environments.…”

Antimicrobial Resistance in Rural Settings in Latin America: A Scoping Review with a One Health Lens

“…On the other hand, wild or domestic animals, animal production, and animal-based agricultural systems are linked to the spread of AMR to humans and the environment [ 13 ]. The excessive or inadequate use of antibiotics in animal farming drives AMR [ 14 ] by favouring the increase in the number of resistant strains in farm animals, animal origin-food, and animal manure [ 15 , 16 ]. AMR bacteria in animal-origin food may cause foodborne-disease outbreaks, remain as commensals, and bring about drug-resistant infections later [ 17 ].…”