Antimicrobial Use and Resistance in Humans and Food–Animal Production Systems

A special issue of Antibiotics (ISSN 2079-6382).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2021) | Viewed by 7234

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
National Public Health Organisation (EODY), 15123 Athens, Greece
Interests: foodborne diseases; zoonoses; surveillance; outbreak investigation; global health

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the largest threats to global health and food security.

The most important factor that leads to AMR is antimicrobial use in human medicine; however, the use of antimicrobials in veterinary medicine also contributes to the burden of AMR in human health.

As well as the treatment and prevention of the spread of diseases, antimicrobials are also used in food–animal production systems for non-therapeutic purposes, such as feed proficiency enhancers and growth promoters. Nowadays, almost 80% of all food-producing animals and birds receive medication for part or most of their lives.

The most used antimicrobials for food animals are β-lactams, tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, lincosamides, quinolones, polypeptides, amphenicols, macrolides, and sulfonamides.

Their use may result in residues in food products, such as milk, meat, and eggs, which may eventually cause health-related problems, such as allergies, mutagenicity, and carcinogenicity.

A direct transmission of AMR bacteria from animals to humans, soil or water has been described. The long-term use of antimicrobials in animals facilitates the spread of AMR bacteria through food and water. Bacteria may propagate in fresh meat and milk products and serve as reservoirs for resistant genes that could be transferred to pathogenic organisms in humans.

We kindly invite original research articles, as well as review papers, on antimicrobial use and resistance in humans as well as in food–animal production systems. All articles will be peer reviewed. 

Dr. Kassiani Mellou

Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • foodborne pathogens
  • gastroenteritis
  • surveillance
  • antimicrobial resistance 
  • animal's health
  • One Health

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 791 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Consumption Data and Phenotypical Antimicrobial Resistance in E. coli Isolates of Human Urinary Samples and of Weaning and Fattening Pigs from Surveillance and Monitoring Systems in Germany
by Octavio Mesa-Varona, Ides Boone, Matthias Flor, Tim Eckmanns, Heike Kaspar, Mirjam Grobbel and Bernd-Alois Tenhagen
Antibiotics 2022, 11(1), 28; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/antibiotics11010028 - 27 Dec 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2349
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) data from humans are mostly collected from clinical isolates, whereas from livestock data also exist from colonizing pathogens. In Germany, livestock data are collected from clinical and nonclinical isolates. We compared resistance levels of clinical and nonclinical isolates of Escherichia [...] Read more.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) data from humans are mostly collected from clinical isolates, whereas from livestock data also exist from colonizing pathogens. In Germany, livestock data are collected from clinical and nonclinical isolates. We compared resistance levels of clinical and nonclinical isolates of Escherichia coli from weaning and fattening pigs with clinical outpatient isolates of humans from urban and rural areas. We also studied the association of AMR with available antimicrobial use (AMU) data from humans and pigs. Differences between rural and urban isolates were minor and did not affect the comparison between human and pig isolates. We found higher resistance levels to most antimicrobials in human isolates compared to nonclinical isolates of fattening pigs. Resistance to ampicillin, however, was significantly more frequent in clinical isolates of fattening pigs and in clinical and nonclinical isolates of weaning pigs compared to isolates from humans. The opposite was observed for ciprofloxacin. Co-trimoxazole resistance proportions were higher in clinical isolates of weaning and fattening pigs as compared to isolates from humans. Resistance proportions were higher in clinical isolates than in nonclinical isolates from pigs of the same age group and were also higher in weaner than in fattening pigs. Significant associations of AMU and AMR were found for gentamicin resistance and aminoglycoside use in humans (borderline) and for ampicillin resistance in clinical isolates and penicillin use in fattening pigs. In summary, we found significant differences between isolates from all populations, requiring more detailed analyses supported by molecular data and better harmonized data on AMU and AMR. Full article
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9 pages, 1152 KiB  
Article
The Rising Burden of Salmonellosis Caused by Monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium (1,4,[5],12:i:-) in Greece and New Food Vehicles
by Georgia Mandilara, Theologia Sideroglou, Anthi Chrysostomou, Iliodoros Rentifis, Theofilos Papadopoulos, Michalis Polemis, Myrsini Tzani, Kyriaki Tryfinopoulou and Kassiani Mellou
Antibiotics 2021, 10(2), 185; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/antibiotics10020185 - 13 Feb 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2065
Abstract
Monophasic Salmonella typhimurium is of increasing importance worldwide. Here we present the available data regarding monophasic S. typhimurium from 2007 to 2019 in Greece, in order to assess its public health impact. Surveillance data, data on antimicrobial resistance, molecular typing by pulsed-field gel [...] Read more.
Monophasic Salmonella typhimurium is of increasing importance worldwide. Here we present the available data regarding monophasic S. typhimurium from 2007 to 2019 in Greece, in order to assess its public health impact. Surveillance data, data on antimicrobial resistance, molecular typing by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and results of the investigation of monophasic S. typhimurium outbreaks were analyzed. Overall, 403 cases were identified; 329 (81.6%) sporadic and 74 (18.4%) related to two community outbreaks in 2017. A total of 305 isolates from sporadic cases tested for antimicrobial resistance revealed resistance to ampicillin, streptomycin, sulphamethoxazole, and tetracycline (41.3%). Some 23.3% were further resistant to trimethoprim and 5.2% were also resistant to chloramphenicol. Outbreak 1 in 2017 with 37 identified cases was attributed to the consumption of raw milk from a vending machine and isolates were resistant to ampicillin, streptomycin, sulphamethoxazole, tetracycline, and trimethoprim. Outbreak 2 also with 37 cases was attributed to the consumption of pork and isolates were resistant to the five above mentioned antibiotics plus chloramphenicol. The number of human monophasic S. typhimurium isolates is low; however, since 2009, it has been among the five most frequently identified serotypes in Greece. Investigation of the outbreaks revealed that other vehicles apart from pork may be implicated in the occurrence of outbreaks. Full article
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10 pages, 5559 KiB  
Article
Impact of Salmonella Control Programmes in Poultry on Human Salmonellosis Burden in Greece
by Myrsini Tzani, Georgia Mandilara, Joana Gomes Dias, Theologia Sideroglou, Anthi Chrysostomou and Kassiani Mellou
Antibiotics 2021, 10(2), 121; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/antibiotics10020121 - 28 Jan 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2156
Abstract
Since 2008, veterinary authorities in Greece have implemented national control programmes (NSCPs) targeting S. Enteritidis (SE) and S. Typhimurium (ST) in poultry. We assessed the effect of the programs on the reported number of human isolates. Using monthly data for 2006–2017, we defined [...] Read more.
Since 2008, veterinary authorities in Greece have implemented national control programmes (NSCPs) targeting S. Enteritidis (SE) and S. Typhimurium (ST) in poultry. We assessed the effect of the programs on the reported number of human isolates. Using monthly data for 2006–2017, we defined two groups (SE, ST) and one control group with serotypes unrelated to poultry or eggs. For SE we also analysed data for 2006–2015 due to a multi-county SE outbreak in 2016. We performed an interrupted time series analysis and used a negative binominal regression model. For both SE and ST, there was no significant trend of the isolation rate before or after NSCPs’ introduction. After the NSCPs’ introduction there was an increasing rate (IRR: 1.005, 95% CI: 1.001–1.008) for control serotypes and a decreasing one for SE (IRR: 0.990, 95% CI: 0.986–0.995) (for 2009 to 2015 analysis). From 2006 to 2017, NSCPs had a statistically significant impact on the number of SE isolates that decreased by 49% (IRR:0.511, 95% CI: 0.353–0.739). No impact was shown on the number of ST (p-value = 0.741) and control isolates (p = 0.069). As a conclusion, NSCP’s implementation was associated with decreased SE isolates and overall burden of salmonellosis; however further measures aiming at human salmonellosis due to ST, should be considered. Full article
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