Sign in Subscribe
Genetic research

Antibiotic Resistance Genes Abundant in Pig Feces Pose Serious Risk to Human Health

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Pig feces in farms can contain a high abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), virulence factor genes (VFGs), mobile genetic elements (MGEs), and human bacterial pathogens (HBPs), posing a significant risk to human health. Researchers in China employed metagenomics to study the composition and characteristics of microorganism communities, ARGs, VFGs, MGEs, and HBPs in pig farm environments across seven different regions. The study identified 216 ARGs, 479 VFGs, 143 MGEs, and 78 HBPs in pig feces, soil, and wastewater samples.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study highlighted significant differences in the composition of microorganisms and ARGs, VFGs, MGEs, and HBPs in pig farm environments across various regions in China.
  • Tetracycline, aminoglycoside, and MLS resistance genes were the most prominent ARGs identified in the study.
  • Escherichia coli, Arcobacter cryaerophilus, Corynebacterium xerosis, Aerococcus viridans, and Collinsella aerofaciens were the most commonly found HBPs in the pig farm environment.
  • A strong correlation was found between ARGs and HBPs, VFGs and HBPs, and ARGs and VFGs through Procrustes analysis and Mantel test results.
  • The presence of MGEs was significantly correlated with the total abundance of resistance genes, which can be used as an indicator for measuring resistance genes.

Statistics:

  • 216 ARGs, 479 VFGs, 143 MGEs, and 78 HBPs were identified across all pig feces, soil, and wastewater samples.
  • 51.8% of IL-17- induced ESCs died after 28 days.
  • Primary mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) reduced by 10 fold in the IL-17 -induced ESCs.
  • Various Firmicutes, Bacteroides, Proteobacteriahe, and Spirochaetes were the dominant phyla in the pig farm environment.
  • 9% of the Firmicutes region is significantly higher than that in other regions.

Sources:

  • Distributions of pathogenic bacteria, antibiotic resistance genes, and virulence factors in pig farms in China. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 2025;302:118607.
  • Qian Chen, Bingzhen Ji, Yali Song, Zhiling Dong, Jianqin Ding, Guoliang Wang, Guiming Liu, Pengfei Gao, and Junxing Zhao.

Read more