Antibiotic Use and Resistance Knowledge Assessment of Personnel on Chicken Farms with High Levels of Antimicrobial Resistance: A Cross-Sectional Survey in Ica, Peru

María Dávalos-Almeyda,Germán Medina,Agustín Guerrero,Maritza Calderón,Alejandra Dávila-Barclay,Robert H Gilman,Guillermo Salvatierra,Pablo Tsukayama

doi:10.3390/antibiotics11020190

Abstract

Poultry farming represents Peru’s primary food animal production industry, where antimicrobial growth promoters are still commonly used, exerting selective pressure on intestinal microbial populations. Consumption and direct animal-to-human transmission have been reported, and farmworkers are at high risk of colonization with resistant bacteria. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 54 farmworkers to understand their current antimicrobial resistance (AMR) awareness in Ica, Peru. To gain insight into the potential work-related risk of exposure to bacteria, we also measured the AMR rates in Escherichia coli isolated among 50 broiler chickens. Farmworkers were unaware of antimicrobial resistance (31.5%) or antibiotic resistance (16.7%) terms. Almost two-thirds (61%) consumed antibiotics during the previous month, and only 42.6% received a prescription from a healthcare professional. A total of 107 E. coli chicken isolates were obtained, showing a high frequency of multidrug-resistant (89.7%) and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) production (71.9%). Among ESBL-producer isolates, 84.4% carried the blaCTX-M gene. Results identified gaps in knowledge that reflect the need for interventions to increase antimicrobial awareness among poultry farmworkers. The high AMR rates among E. coli isolates highlight the need to reduce antimicrobial use in poultry farms. Our findings reveal a critical need for effective policy development and antimicrobial stewardship interventions in poultry production in Ica, Peru.

Highlights

Peru records one of the largest per capita consumption rates of chicken meat in SouthAmerica
Previous surveys applied to poultry farmworkers [14,15,16,17], drug vendors [18,19], and the general public [20,21,22,23] have exposed a poor understanding of the problem encompassing antibiotic resistance and the misuse of such drugs in livestock systems and human health
We focused on the phenotypic and genotypic determinants of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) production, an important resistance mechanism associated with severe infections in hospital and community settings [30,31,32]

Summary

Introduction

Peru records one of the largest per capita consumption rates of chicken meat in SouthAmerica. The constant exposure to antimicrobials exerts selective pressure on the chicken’s intestinal microbial populations [4]. These bacteria select and acquire antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) to adapt to their environment. Previous surveys applied to poultry farmworkers [14,15,16,17], drug vendors [18,19], and the general public [20,21,22,23] have exposed a poor understanding of the problem encompassing antibiotic resistance and the misuse of such drugs in livestock systems and human health. The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria in animal populations and their potential carriage and gene exchange into clinical settings represent an emerging risk to global public health [24]

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