Commensal Escherichia coli Antimicrobial Resistance and Multidrug-Resistance Dynamics during Broiler Growing Period: Commercial vs. Improved Farm Conditions
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Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología Animal, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, 46022 Valencia, Spain
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Centro de Calidad Avícola y Alimentación Animal de la Comunidad Valenciana (CECAV), 12539 Castellón, Spain
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Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Animal, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias, 12400 Castellón, Spain
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Departamento de Producción y Sanidad Animal, Salud Pública Veterinaria y Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Avenida Seminario s/n, 46113 Moncada, Spain
5
Área de Microbiología, Departamento de Farmacia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Avenida Seminario s/n, 46113 Moncada, Spain
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Academic Editors: María Teresa Tejedor-Junco and Juan Alberto Corbera
Animals 2021, 11(4), 1005; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11041005
Received: 25 February 2021
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Revised: 25 March 2021
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Accepted: 30 March 2021
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Published: 3 April 2021
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Infectious Diseases Caused by Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria: A One-Health Issue)
Simple Summary
This experiment was designed to evaluate the differences in antimicrobial and multidrug resistance dynamics in broilers reared under two different farm conditions (commercial vs. improved) during the growing period, using Escherichia coli as sentinel bacterium. Although no antibiotics were applied during rearing for two different management conditions tested, high rates of antimicrobial and multidrug-resistant bacteria were observed throughout rearing, with the percentages of resistant bacteria observed being of particular concern in day-old chicks on arrival day and in chickens at the end of the growing period, just before delivery to the slaughterhouse.
New measures applied to reduce antimicrobial resistances (AMR) at field level in broiler production are focused on improving animals’ welfare and resilience. However, it is necessary to have better knowledge of AMR epidemiology. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate AMR and multidrug resistance (MDR) dynamics during the rearing of broilers under commercial (33 kg/m2 density and max. 20 ppm ammonia) and improved (17 kg/m2 density and max. 10 ppm ammonia) farm conditions. Day-old chicks were housed in two poultry houses (commercial vs. improved), and no antimicrobial agents were administered at any point. Animals were sampled at arrival day, mid-period and at slaughter day. High AMR rates were observed throughout rearing. No statistical differences were observed between groups. Moreover, both groups presented high MDR at slaughter day. These results could be explained by vertical or horizontal resistance acquisition. In conclusion, AMR and MDR are present throughout rearing. Moreover, although a lower level of MDR was observed at mid-period in animals reared under less intensive conditions, no differences were found at the end. In order to reduce the presence of AMR bacteria in poultry, further studies are needed to better understand AMR acquisition and prevalence in differing broiler growing conditions.
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Keywords:
antimicrobial resistance; multidrug resistance; broiler; farm management; Escherichia coli
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MDPI and ACS Style
Montoro-Dasi, L.; Villagra, A.; Sevilla-Navarro, S.; Pérez-Gracia, M.T.; Vega, S.; Marin, C. Commensal Escherichia coli Antimicrobial Resistance and Multidrug-Resistance Dynamics during Broiler Growing Period: Commercial vs. Improved Farm Conditions. Animals 2021, 11, 1005. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11041005
AMA Style
Montoro-Dasi L, Villagra A, Sevilla-Navarro S, Pérez-Gracia MT, Vega S, Marin C. Commensal Escherichia coli Antimicrobial Resistance and Multidrug-Resistance Dynamics during Broiler Growing Period: Commercial vs. Improved Farm Conditions. Animals. 2021; 11(4):1005. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11041005
Chicago/Turabian StyleMontoro-Dasi, Laura, Arantxa Villagra, Sandra Sevilla-Navarro, Maria T. Pérez-Gracia, Santiago Vega, and Clara Marin. 2021. "Commensal Escherichia coli Antimicrobial Resistance and Multidrug-Resistance Dynamics during Broiler Growing Period: Commercial vs. Improved Farm Conditions" Animals 11, no. 4: 1005. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11041005
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