Fluoroquinolone Residues in Piglet Viscera and Their Impact on Intestinal Microbiota Resistance: A One Health Approach

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Excellent article about the One Health approach in animals-humans. The presence of fluoroquinolone residues in food-producing animals raises concerns about it certainly leads to antimicrobial resistance in humans and this needs to be studied. I liked everything in this article and as a small recommendation for the authors - to make confidence intervals on columns 1-2-3. The rest is in order. The article is relevant, written in understandable language.

Author Response

Excellent article about the One Health approach in animals-humans. The presence of fluoroquinolone residues in food-producing animals raises concerns about it certainly leads to antimicrobial resistance in humans and this needs to be studied. I liked everything in this article and as a small recommendation for the authors - to make confidence intervals on columns 1-2-3. The rest is in order. The article is relevant, written in understandable language   Response: 

The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to the reviewer for the positive evaluation of their manuscript. They truly appreciate the encouraging comments and are pleased that their work was well received. This recognition is both motivating and deeply appreciated.

The authors introduced Table 4, with confidence intervals, to address the small recommendation of the reviewer (see revised manuscript)

 

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The introduction very well motivates the performance of this study. The Materials and Methods very well describes the piglet sampling, the identification of Enterococcus species, Antimicrobial susceptibility assays and Quantification of Antimicrobial Residues. In total, 75 piglets were analyzed, 33 presented FQ residues in the liver (44%), and 17 in the kidney (23%). Resistance of E. coli isolates was established against 9 antibiotics that are also used in human medicine. Expressed in percentages, this resistance ranged from 11.5% (Ceftazidime) to 67.4% (Amoxicillin + Clavulanic Acid). In the 33 piglets with FQ residues in the liver, 159 E. coli isolates were identified, of which 94 (59.1%) exhibited resistance to CIP, while 65 (40.9%) were susceptible. Among the 17 piglets in which FQ residues were detected in the kidney, 81 E. coli isolates were identified. Of these, 58 (71.6%) were resistant to CIP, while 23 (28.4%) were susceptible. In piglets with FQ residues in the liver, 159 E. coli isolates were identified, of which 107 (67.3%) were MDR, while 52 (32.7%) were non-MDR. When FQs were absent from the liver, 181 isolates were identified, 101 (55.8%) MDR and 80 (44.2%) non-MDR. Among the 17 piglets with FQ residues in the kidney, 81 E. coli isolates were identified. Of these, 63 (77.8%) were MDR, while 18 (22.2%) were non-MDR. In contrast, when FQ was absent from the kidney, 259 isolates were identified, of which 145 (56.0%) were MDR and 114 (44.0%) were non-MDR. The resistance of Enterococcus species to 6 antibiotics was established. Association between FQ residues in viscera and enterococci Ciprofloxacin resistance was found. A very good discussion of their results compared with the results published by other researchers was made. 28 literature sources were cited. I have no comments on the authors of this study.

Author Response

The introduction very well motivates the performance of this study. The Materials and Methods very well describes the piglet sampling, the identification of Enterococcus species, Antimicrobial susceptibility assays and Quantification of Antimicrobial Residues. In total, 75 piglets were analyzed, 33 presented FQ residues in the liver (44%), and 17 in the kidney (23%). Resistance of E. coli isolates was established against 9 antibiotics that are also used in human medicine. Expressed in percentages, this resistance ranged from 11.5% (Ceftazidime) to 67.4% (Amoxicillin + Clavulanic Acid). In the 33 piglets with FQ residues in the liver, 159 E. coli isolates were identified, of which 94 (59.1%) exhibited resistance to CIP, while 65 (40.9%) were susceptible. Among the 17 piglets in which FQ residues were detected in the kidney, 81 E. coli isolates were identified. Of these, 58 (71.6%) were resistant to CIP, while 23 (28.4%) were susceptible. In piglets with FQ residues in the liver, 159 E. coli isolates were identified, of which 107 (67.3%) were MDR, while 52 (32.7%) were non-MDR. When FQs were absent from the liver, 181 isolates were identified, 101 (55.8%) MDR and 80 (44.2%) non-MDR. Among the 17 piglets with FQ residues in the kidney, 81 E. coli isolates were identified. Of these, 63 (77.8%) were MDR, while 18 (22.2%) were non-MDR. In contrast, when FQ was absent from the kidney, 259 isolates were identified, of which 145 (56.0%) were MDR and 114 (44.0%) were non-MDR. The resistance of Enterococcus species to 6 antibiotics was established. Association between FQ residues in viscera and enterococci Ciprofloxacin resistance was found. A very good discussion of their results compared with the results published by other researchers was made. 28 literature sources were cited. I have no comments on the authors of this study.

Response:

The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to the reviewer for the positive evaluation of their manuscript. They truly appreciate the encouraging comments and are pleased that their work was well received. This recognition is both motivating and deeply appreciated.