Abstract
The mechanisms that bacteria use to acquire additional genetic material, including genes coding for antibiotic resistance, are principally the secondary pathways that have been described as transformation and conjugation pathways. The farming industry often is reported as a hotspot for antibiotic-resistance reservoirs. In this review, we consider the exposure of food animals during the course of their lifespans to preventative, therapeutic or prophylactic treatment with antibiotic agents. In this context, zoonotic bacteria are commonly recognised as a potential threat to human health, with therapeutic treatment of pathogenic organisms on farms increasing the likelihood of selective antibiotic pressure influencing the commensal flora of the intestines. Existing literature indicates, however, that the effective impact on human health of such interventions in the food production process is still subject to debate.
Highlights
Medini et al.[1] refer to the total genetic makeup of an individual bacterium species as the pan genome
In situations in which bacteria carrying acquired genetic material are hosted by food animals, the question arises as to whether exposure of these food animals to therapeutic and/or prophylactic antibiotic treatments creates a potential threat to human health.[2,3]
We review whether a specific gene encoding a particular antibiotic-resistant gene element, originally present in a bacterium derived from a food animal source, can be the same gene encoding antibiotic resistance subsequently residing in a human clinical isolate of a totally different bacterial strain, species or genus
Summary
Affiliations: 1Biomedical Resource Unit, University of KwaZuluNatal, South Africa. Postal address: Biomedical Resource Unit, University of KwaZuluNatal, Private Bag X54001, Durban 4000, South Africa.
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