Risk Assessment Of Antimicrobial Resistance Research Articles

Antimicrobial Resistance Risk Assessment of Vibrio parahaemolyticus Isolated from Farmed Green Mussels in Singapore.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus, commonly found in seafood products, is responsible for gastroenteritis resulting from the consumption of undercooked seafood. Hence, there is a need to characterize and quantify the risk involved from this pathogen. However, there has been no study reporting the quantification of hemolytic antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) Vibrio parahaemolyticus in locally farmed shellfish in Singapore. In this study, ampicillin, penicillin G, tetracycline resistant, and non-AMR hemolytic V. parahaemolyticus were surveyed and quantified in green mussel samples from different premises in the food chain (farm and retail). The occurrence data showed that 31/45 (68.9%) of farmed green mussel samples, 6/6 (100%) farm water samples, and 41/45 (91.1%) retail shellfish samples detected the presence of hemolytic V. parahaemolyticus. V. parahaemolyticus counts ranged from 1.6-5.9 Log CFU/g in the retail shellfish samples and 1.0-2.9 Log CFU/g in the farm water samples. AMR risk assessments (ARRA), specifically for ampicillin, penicillin G, tetracycline, and hemolytic (non-AMR) scenarios were conducted for the full farm-to-home and partial retail-to-home chains. The hemolytic ARRA scenario estimated an average probability of illness of 5.7 × 10-3 and 1.2 × 10-2 per serving for the full and partial chains, respectively, translating to 165 and 355 annual cases per total population or 2.9 and 6.2 cases per 100,000 population, respectively. The average probability of illness per year ratios for the three ARRAs to the hemolytic ARRA were 0.82, 0.81, and 0.47 (ampicillin, penicillin G, and tetracycline, respectively) for the full chain and 0.54, 0.39, and 0.09 (ampicillin, penicillin G, and tetracycline, respectively) for the partial chain. The sensitivity analysis showed that the overall cooking effect, initial concentrations of pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus, and harvest duration and harvest temperature were key variables influencing the risk estimates in all of the modelled ARRAs. The study findings can be used by relevant stakeholders to make informed decisions for risk management that improve food safety.

Improving the risk assessment of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) along the food/feed chain and from environmental reservoirs using qMRA and probabilistic modelling.

Efficient risk assessment of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in environmental reservoirs, particularly agroecosystems, is critical for predicting threats to animal and human health due to infections unresponsive to antibiotic therapy. However, approaches currently employed for the risk assessment of AMR along the human food chain rarely rely on antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) environmental pathways connected to food production and related quantitative data. The present project aimed at improving the risk assessment related to the spread of AMR along the food/feed chain based on ARG quantification in agroecosystems and interconnected environments. The fellow received training and worked in close cooperation with the team on two ongoing research projects which involved: (i) the monitoring of ARGs in field soils and surface waters to identify and characterise food/feed chain‐associated environmental reservoirs of AMR relevant at the national level; (ii) the evaluation of ARG dynamics in relation to agricultural practice within an international project assessing biodiversity as an ecological barrier for the spread of clinically relevant ARGs in the environment. ARG quantification was performed using single/multiplex real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with tailor‐made primers/probe sets according to in‐house optimised and validated conditions. The assessment was completed by a comprehensive revision of available literature data for risk‐ranking of ARGs along with a literature review exploring AMR quantitative knowledge gaps and the role of certain AMR determinants encoded on free extracellular DNA (exDNA) in their environmental spread.

MICROBIOLOGICAL AND ANTIBIOGRAM STUDY OF BACTERIAL PATHOGENS ASSOCIATED WITH BOVINE MASTITIS IN AND AROUND MEERUT

A rise in the incidence of disease in a herd results in multiplied use of antimicrobials, which in turn increases the presence of antibiotic residues in milk and increased bacterial resistance to antimicrobials. Continued use of antibiotics in the remedy and prevention of diseases of dairy cows always needs to be scrutinized. With this background, we carried out the present study to screen the major pathogens of bovine mastitis circulating in and around Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India and their sensitivity to frequently used antibiotics. 30 milk samples suspected for mastitis based on clinical manifestations were collected and processed for bacterial isolation, identification and culture sensitivity test. Among the isolates, 14 (46.67%) were Gram-positive bacteria, 11 (36.67 %) Gram negative and 5 (16.67 %) were mixed infection. The isolated mastitis dweller bacteria were Staphylococcus spp. (46.67 %), E. coli (36.67 %), and mixed infection spp. (16.67 %). The studies of in vitro antibiogram revealed gentamicin to be the most effective drug (93.34 %), followed by enrofloxacin (66.67 %), cefotaxime+clavulanic acid (63.34 %), ampicillin+sulbactam (60.00 %), chloramphenicol (60.00 %), amoxicillin+sulbactam (53.34 %), colistin (46.67 %), ciprofloxacin (40.00 %), oxytetracycline (33.34 %), streptomycin (33.34 %), amoxicillin + clavulanic acid (13.34 %) and ampicillin/cloxacillin (10.00 %) against the bacterial isolates from mastitis milk. These findings suggest bacterial resistance against commonly used advanced drugs and combination of drugs. Thus, it can help to develop guidelines for practitioners in the choice of the most appropriate antibiotic. The outcomes of study contribute to risk assessment of anti-microbial resistance (AMR) and provide a standard baseline for setting up and assessing control measures and structuring strategies to constrain AMR.

Antimicrobial Resistance Risk Assessment Models and Database System for Animal-Derived Pathogens.

(1) Background: The high use of antibiotics has made the issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) increasingly serious, which poses a substantial threat to the health of animals and humans. However, there remains a certain gap in the AMR system and risk assessment models between China and the advanced world level. Therefore, this paper aims to provide advanced means for the monitoring of antibiotic use and AMR data, and take piglets as an example to evaluate the risk and highlight the seriousness of AMR in China. (2) Methods: Based on the principal component analysis method, a drug resistance index model of anti-E. coli drugs was established to evaluate the antibiotic risk status in China. Additionally, based on the second-order Monte Carlo methods, a disease risk assessment model for piglets was established to predict the probability of E. coli disease within 30 days of taking florfenicol. Finally, a browser/server architecture-based visualization database system for animal-derived pathogens was developed. (3) Results: The risk of E. coli in the main area was assessed and Hohhot was the highest risk area in China. Compared with the true disease risk probability of 4.1%, the result of the disease risk assessment model is 7.174%, and the absolute error was 3.074%. Conclusions: Taking E. coli as an example, this paper provides an innovative method for rapid and accurate risk assessment of drug resistance. Additionally, the established system and assessment models have potential value for the monitoring and evaluating AMR, highlight the seriousness of antimicrobial resistance, advocate the prudent use of antibiotics, and ensure the safety of animal-derived foods and human health.

Risk Assessment of The Use of Colistin Sulfate In Broiler Due To Escherichia coli Resistance In Broiler Flocks

The risk assessment of antimicrobial resistance is very important to determine the risk of decreasing antimicrobial efficacy can be used as a basis for policymakers in allowing or prohibiting the use of an antimicrobial. This study aims to assess the risk of using colistin against E. coli resistance in the broiler flock. Risk assessment is carried out qualitatively using primary data, interviews, and secondary data. To obtain primary data various studies were carried out including monitoring the prevalence of colistin-resistant E. coli and mcr-1 also mcr-2 genes in broiler flocks, mcr-1 gene transfer from E. coli to Salmonella Enteritidis, mcr-1 gene sequencing, mutant selection windows of colistin against E. coli, and also multiresistant of E. coli colistin-resistant. Assessment of the risk of E. coli colistin-resistant in the broiler flocks through direct contact with live broiler flock environment with the resulting assessment is a medium risk with low uncertainty. Since colistin sulfate is very critically important for humans, the reduced use of colistin sulfate in animal production is necessary to reduce the risk of resistance. Reducing the use of colistin sulfate requires the collaboration of various sectors such as the government, veterinary drugs industries, farmers, and consumers.

Antibiotic resistance in environment of animal farms

World Health Organization has recognized antibiotic resistance is one of the serious threats to public health and food-safety in the 21st century. Recently, the antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) has been widely considered as a new pollutant. Now, many studies suggested that animal farm is one of the major reservoirs of ARGs. Antibiotic resistance bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes enter the environment along with animal excrement, accelerating the spread of ARGs in the environment. In the livestock and poultry breeding environment, ARGs and antibiotic resistant bacteria could be transmitted to humans through the food chain, water or air, posing a great threat to public health. This review highlights the prevalence of antibiotic resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistant genes in livestock-breeding environment, the retention and spread of ARGs and the method used to study the antibiotic resistance, which will provide certain support for risk assessment of antimicrobial resistance in food animal breeding environment.

Risk assessment of antimicrobial resistance along the food chain through culture-independent methodologies.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents a major challenge for Public Health and the scientific community, and requires immediate and drastic solutions. Acquired resistance to certain antimicrobials is already widespread to such an extent that their efficacy in the treatment of certain life‐threatening infections is already compromised. To date, the emergence and spread of AMR has been attributed to the use, misuse or indiscriminate use of antibiotics as therapeutic drugs in human, animal and plant health, or as growth promoters in veterinary husbandry. In addition, there is growing concern over the possibility of AMR transmission via the food chain. Food processing environments could act as potential hotspots for AMR acquisition and spread. Indeed, biocide use and exposure to food‐related stresses and food processing technologies could presumably act as selection pressures for increased microbial resistance against clinically relevant antibiotics. Global AMR surveillance is critical for providing the necessary information to form global strategies and to monitor the effectiveness of public health interventions as well as to detect new trends and emerging threats. Surveillance of AMR is currently based on the isolation of indicator microorganisms and the phenotypic characterisation of the strains isolated. However, this approach provides very limited information on the mechanisms driving AMR or on the presence and spread of AMR genes. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) of bacterial pathogens is a powerful tool that can be used for epidemiological surveillance, outbreak detection and infection control. In addition, whole metagenome sequencing (WMS) allows for the culture‐independent analysis of complex microbial communities, providing useful information on the occurrence of AMR genes. Both approaches can be used to provide the information necessary for the implementation of quantitative risk assessment of AMR transmission routes along the food chain.

Source Attribution and Risk Assessment of Antimicrobial Resistance

Source attribution and microbial risk assessment methods have been widely applied for the control of several foodborne pathogens worldwide by identifying (i) the most important pathogen sources and (ii) the risk represented by specific foods and the critical points in these foods' production chains for microbial control. Such evidence has proved crucial for risk managers to identify and prioritize effective food safety and public health strategies. In the context of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) from livestock and pets, the utility of these methods is recognized, but a number of challenges have largely prevented their application and routine use. One key challenge has been to define the hazard in question: Is it the antimicrobial drug use in animals, the antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in animals and foods, or the antimicrobial resistance genes that can be transferred between commensal and pathogenic bacteria in the animal or human gut or in the environment? Other important limitations include the lack of occurrence and transmission data and the lack of evidence to inform dose-response relationships. We present the main principles, available methods, strengths, and weaknesses of source attribution and risk assessment methods, discuss their utility to identify sources and estimate risks of AMR from livestock and pets, and provide an overview of conducted studies. In addition, we discuss remaining challenges and current and future opportunities to improve methods and knowledge of the sources and transmission routes of AMR from animals through food, direct contact, or the environment, including improvements in surveillance and developments in genotypic typing methods.

Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli isolates

Background:Themajor influenceson the increase and spreadof antimicrobial resistant bacteria are the use of antimicrobial agents in human medicine and their use in livestock for therapy and growth promotion. To generate baseline data to use in future risk assessment of antimicrobial resistance, a number of surveillance program on the local, continental and global scale have been initiated. The prevalence of resistance in commensal E. coli is a good indicator for the selective pressure by antibiotics use and resistance problems to be expected in pathogenic bacteria. The aim of this studywas to determine and compare the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance phenotypes and genotypes among E. coli strains recovered from animal sources. Methods & Materials: Fifty-eight (58) E. coli strains were isolated from animal sources (Cattle, pig and chicken). MIC was determined according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Strains were screened and mapped by PCR methods for antimicrobial resistant genes, integrons and gene cassettes. Results: The resistance profile of E. coli for ampicillin (100%), cefotaxime (100%), ceftazidime (83%), ciprofloxacin (43%) (C), tetracycline (100%) (T), gentamicin (90%) (G), kanamycin (77%) (K), streptomycin (100%) (S), chloramphenicol (97%) (Ch) sulphamethoxazole (100%) (Su) and trimethoprime (97%) (T). Eight-Five per cent (85%) of E. coli harbored class 1 integron and variable gene cassettes were revealed. A prevalence of gene cassettes that present resistance to streptomycin and trimethoprime was observed. The resistance genes determinant present in gentamicin resistance were aac(3’)-IIc, aac(6’)-Ib and ant(2”)-1a. The occurrence of aph(3)-Ia in kanamycin resistant strainswas 68%. The prevalence of sul1 (80%) and sul2 (100%) was observed. The prevalence of tet(A) is higher than tet(B) in tetracycline-resistant strains. The gene determinants for chloramphenicol resistance (cat1 and catB) were detected. Differences in the rates and profile of resistance were observed, possibly reflecting differences in antibiotic use regimens among these strains. Conclusion: This study shows that multi-drug resistant E. coli isolates are prevalent in animal sources and a considerable proportion of E. coli strains are resistant to a variety of antimicrobial agents.Genotypic characterization revealedhighnumberofdiverse resistance determinants.

Antimicrobial Resistance Risk Assessment in Food Safety

Microbiological risk assessments generally focus on estimating adverse human health risks from exposures to human pathogenic microbes. The assessment of potential human health risks posed by pathogens that have acquired resistance to antimicrobial drugs is a new application of risk assessment that is closely related to microbiological risk assessment. Antimicrobial resistance risk assessment is a risk analytical process that focuses on resistance determinants as hazardous agents that might lead to drug-resistant microbial infections in humans exposed to bacteria carrying the determinants. Antimicrobial-resistant infections could occur directly from actively invading or opportunistic pathogens or indirectly from the transfer of resistance genes to other bacteria. Here, we discuss risk assessment models that might be employed to estimate risks from drug-resistant bacteria in the animal food pathway and the types of models and data that may be used for microbiological risk assessments or antimicrobial resistance risk assessments.