Specific features of the microbial resistance assessment in pig breeding enterprises

Abstract

Abstract. The aim of this work was to study the opportunistic microbiocenosis of a pig-breeding enterprise and analyze its resistance to antimicrobial drugs (AMR- status). Methods. For two years on the pig farm there were taken samples of microflora from the mucous membranes and teats of pregnant and farrowed sows, from the mucous membranes and skin of piglets of weaning, rearing, fattening groups; from equipment, fencing, surfaces and inventory in different technological areas. The microorganism isolates isolated from the samples were determined for their sensitivity to antibiotics, which are most often used in veterinary practice and feeding in this region. Results. It was established that the surveyed enterprise has an unfavorable AMR-status. The nucleus of the opportunistic microbiocenosis was represented by S. aureus, Ent. faecium and P. aeruginosa, which accounted for about 44 % of the isolated isolates, while the isolates of these microorganisms in 85 % of cases had reduced sensitivity or resistance to one or more antibiotics. Multidrug resistance was found mainly in S. aureus isolates, which in 16 % of cases were resistant to three antibiotics, and in 7 % of cases – to six studied antibiotics of various classes. Most often, multidrug-resistant staphylococcus aureus was detected in sows and piglets in the weaning phase. Also, during the research, there was found a high resistance of opportunistic microflora isolates to tetracycline, which had been used in this farm for more than three years. More than 10 % of tetracycline-resistant S. aureus and Ent. isolates were found on the skin and mucous membranes of fattening pigs. faecium, which indicated an increased risk of contamination of raw meat at the slaughter stage by microorganisms carrying genes for resistance to tetracyclines. The novelty of this work lies in obtaining relevant data on the AMR status of a pig-breeding facility and identifying the most unfavorable technological areas in terms of microbial resistance. The research is executed at the expense of a grant of the RSF (project No.18-16-00040).