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Agriculture

Antibiotic Resistance in Escherichia coli Identified in US Poultry

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A new study by researchers from the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Research Service has found that Escherichia coli bacteria obtained from poultry in the US between 2001 and 2012 often possess antibiotic resistance genes and mobile genetic elements. The study, published in the journal Pathogens, suggests that these bacteria may be responsible for the persistence of resistance in pathogens.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study analyzed 100 Escherichia coli isolates from poultry carcass rinsates and 2 isolates from poultry diagnostic samples, finding that all isolates were positive for at least one antibiotic resistance gene and plasmid replicon.
  • The most common beta-lactamase gene detected in the isolates was bla[CMY-2], while bla[TEM] and bla[CARB-2] were also identified.
  • Most isolates (95%) harbored at least one intact phage, with as many as seven intact phages identified in one isolate.
  • The study highlights the importance of understanding the trends of antibiotic resistance phenotypes and genotypes in the poultry setting over time.
  • The findings may have significant implications for public health, particularly in the context of the increasing use of antibiotics in agriculture.

Statistics:

  • 98 Escherichia coli isolates from poultry carcass rinsates and 2 isolates from poultry diagnostic samples were whole-genome sequenced.
  • 37 resistance genes and 27 plasmid replicons were detected among the isolates.
  • 95% of the isolates harbored at least one intact phage.
  • The isolates possessed at least one antibiotic resistance gene, with the majority (37) being beta-lactamase genes.

Sources:

  • NewsRx. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Researchers Provide Details of New Studies and Findings in the Area of Escherichia coli (Antimicrobial Resistance Genotypes and Mobile Genetic Elements of Poultry-Derived * * Escherichia coli* * : A ...). Health & Medicine Week. September 12, 2025; p 7869.
  • Antimicrobial Resistance Genotypes and Mobile Genetic Elements of Poultry-Derived * * Escherichia coli* * : A Retrospective Genomic Study from the United States. Pathogens, 2025,14(8):726.
  • doi: 10.3390/pathogens14080726
  • US Department of Agriculture (USDA). Egg and Poultry Production Safety Research Unit.

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