Risk of multidrug resistance in Escherichia coli associated with routine antimicrobial prophylaxis on pig farms

Abstract Although extensively studied, the association between antimicrobial usage and the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in livestock still has unresolved aspects. This study analyzed the genomes of 195 Escherichia coli strains from pigs, a species with high antimicrobial consumption,...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ryohei Toya, Miki Okuno, Yosuke Sasaki, Keisuke Yoshihara, Yuichiro Deguchi, Debora Satie Nagano, Seiji Shimada, Yoshitoshi Ogura
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-06-01
Series:npj Antimicrobials and Resistance
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s44259-025-00130-2
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849238528340262912
author Ryohei Toya
Miki Okuno
Yosuke Sasaki
Keisuke Yoshihara
Yuichiro Deguchi
Debora Satie Nagano
Seiji Shimada
Yoshitoshi Ogura
author_facet Ryohei Toya
Miki Okuno
Yosuke Sasaki
Keisuke Yoshihara
Yuichiro Deguchi
Debora Satie Nagano
Seiji Shimada
Yoshitoshi Ogura
author_sort Ryohei Toya
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Although extensively studied, the association between antimicrobial usage and the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in livestock still has unresolved aspects. This study analyzed the genomes of 195 Escherichia coli strains from pigs, a species with high antimicrobial consumption, across five production stages on 13 farms in Japan employing diverse antimicrobial administration strategies. A total of 61 acquired AMR genes (aARGs), spanning 13 distinct antimicrobial classes, were identified. A significant correlation was found between antimicrobial usage and the number of aARGs in E. coli strains. The four farms with the highest usage administered antimicrobials orally as routine prophylaxis during fattening. These farms showed significantly higher proportions of multidrug-resistant (MDR) genotypes at all stages compared to farms without routine prophylaxis. The number of frequently detected aARGs was more strongly correlated with total antimicrobial usage than with the usage of the corresponding antimicrobial classes. Co-occurrence network analysis suggested that genetic linkages among these aARGs may promote co-selection, thereby acting as a driving force in the emergence of MDR strains under routine prophylaxis treatment.
format Article
id doaj-art-3c826d93138140ffb56a723cc54a39ce
institution Kabale University
issn 2731-8745
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series npj Antimicrobials and Resistance
spelling doaj-art-3c826d93138140ffb56a723cc54a39ce2025-08-20T04:01:35ZengNature Portfolionpj Antimicrobials and Resistance2731-87452025-06-01311910.1038/s44259-025-00130-2Risk of multidrug resistance in Escherichia coli associated with routine antimicrobial prophylaxis on pig farmsRyohei Toya0Miki Okuno1Yosuke Sasaki2Keisuke Yoshihara3Yuichiro Deguchi4Debora Satie Nagano5Seiji Shimada6Yoshitoshi Ogura7Production Veterinary Medical Center, Miyazaki Prefecture Agricultural Mutual Aid AssociationDepartment of Infectious Medicine, Kurume University School of MedicineDepartment of Agriculture, School of Agriculture, Meiji UniversityProduction Veterinary Medical Center, Miyazaki Prefecture Agricultural Mutual Aid AssociationProduction Veterinary Medical Center, Miyazaki Prefecture Agricultural Mutual Aid AssociationDepartment of Infectious Medicine, Kurume University School of MedicineProduction Veterinary Medical Center, Miyazaki Prefecture Agricultural Mutual Aid AssociationDepartment of Infectious Medicine, Kurume University School of MedicineAbstract Although extensively studied, the association between antimicrobial usage and the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in livestock still has unresolved aspects. This study analyzed the genomes of 195 Escherichia coli strains from pigs, a species with high antimicrobial consumption, across five production stages on 13 farms in Japan employing diverse antimicrobial administration strategies. A total of 61 acquired AMR genes (aARGs), spanning 13 distinct antimicrobial classes, were identified. A significant correlation was found between antimicrobial usage and the number of aARGs in E. coli strains. The four farms with the highest usage administered antimicrobials orally as routine prophylaxis during fattening. These farms showed significantly higher proportions of multidrug-resistant (MDR) genotypes at all stages compared to farms without routine prophylaxis. The number of frequently detected aARGs was more strongly correlated with total antimicrobial usage than with the usage of the corresponding antimicrobial classes. Co-occurrence network analysis suggested that genetic linkages among these aARGs may promote co-selection, thereby acting as a driving force in the emergence of MDR strains under routine prophylaxis treatment.https://doi.org/10.1038/s44259-025-00130-2
spellingShingle Ryohei Toya
Miki Okuno
Yosuke Sasaki
Keisuke Yoshihara
Yuichiro Deguchi
Debora Satie Nagano
Seiji Shimada
Yoshitoshi Ogura
Risk of multidrug resistance in Escherichia coli associated with routine antimicrobial prophylaxis on pig farms
npj Antimicrobials and Resistance
title Risk of multidrug resistance in Escherichia coli associated with routine antimicrobial prophylaxis on pig farms
title_full Risk of multidrug resistance in Escherichia coli associated with routine antimicrobial prophylaxis on pig farms
title_fullStr Risk of multidrug resistance in Escherichia coli associated with routine antimicrobial prophylaxis on pig farms
title_full_unstemmed Risk of multidrug resistance in Escherichia coli associated with routine antimicrobial prophylaxis on pig farms
title_short Risk of multidrug resistance in Escherichia coli associated with routine antimicrobial prophylaxis on pig farms
title_sort risk of multidrug resistance in escherichia coli associated with routine antimicrobial prophylaxis on pig farms
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s44259-025-00130-2
work_keys_str_mv AT ryoheitoya riskofmultidrugresistanceinescherichiacoliassociatedwithroutineantimicrobialprophylaxisonpigfarms
AT mikiokuno riskofmultidrugresistanceinescherichiacoliassociatedwithroutineantimicrobialprophylaxisonpigfarms
AT yosukesasaki riskofmultidrugresistanceinescherichiacoliassociatedwithroutineantimicrobialprophylaxisonpigfarms
AT keisukeyoshihara riskofmultidrugresistanceinescherichiacoliassociatedwithroutineantimicrobialprophylaxisonpigfarms
AT yuichirodeguchi riskofmultidrugresistanceinescherichiacoliassociatedwithroutineantimicrobialprophylaxisonpigfarms
AT deborasatienagano riskofmultidrugresistanceinescherichiacoliassociatedwithroutineantimicrobialprophylaxisonpigfarms
AT seijishimada riskofmultidrugresistanceinescherichiacoliassociatedwithroutineantimicrobialprophylaxisonpigfarms
AT yoshitoshiogura riskofmultidrugresistanceinescherichiacoliassociatedwithroutineantimicrobialprophylaxisonpigfarms