From Farm to Slaughter: Tracing Antimicrobial Resistance in a Poultry Short Food Chain
<b>Background</b>: Short food supply chains are commonly perceived as more sustainable and safer alternatives to conventional production systems, often linked to organic, free-range livestock practices. <b>Materials and methods</b>: This study investigates, for the first time...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Antibiotics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/6/604 |
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| author | Andrea Laconi Roberta Tolosi Claudia Chirollo Cristiana Penon Giacomo Berto Francesco Galuppo Alessandra Piccirillo |
| author_facet | Andrea Laconi Roberta Tolosi Claudia Chirollo Cristiana Penon Giacomo Berto Francesco Galuppo Alessandra Piccirillo |
| author_sort | Andrea Laconi |
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| description | <b>Background</b>: Short food supply chains are commonly perceived as more sustainable and safer alternatives to conventional production systems, often linked to organic, free-range livestock practices. <b>Materials and methods</b>: This study investigates, for the first time, the distribution of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) and characterizes the microbial communities’ composition, using 16S rRNA sequencing and real-time PCR, respectively. Eleven fecal, 76 slaughterhouse surface, 11 cecal, and 11 carcass samples, from 11 poultry farms belonging to the same short food chain, were analyzed in the study. <b>Results</b>: While cleaning and disinfection procedures appeared to reduce the bacterial load on slaughterhouse surfaces, diverse and potentially resistant bacteria, including genera such as <i>Staphylococcus</i> and <i>Streptococcus</i>, persisted both before and after slaughter. ARGs conferring resistance to high-priority critically important antimicrobials (HPCIAs), such as fluoroquinolones and third-generation cephalosporins, were frequently detected on carcasses, with <i>qnrS</i> (76.15%, 95%CI 68.02-84.28%) and <i>bla<sub>CMY2</sub></i> (57.8%, 95%CI 48.38-67.22%) being the most prevalent. The slaughtering process emerged as a critical step for ARG dissemination via intestinal bacteria, such as genus <i>Lactobacillus</i>. Additionally, the detection of <i>mcr</i> genes and <i>bla<sub>NDM</sub></i> on carcasses but not in the bird gut samples suggests possible anthropogenic contamination. <b>Discussion:</b> These findings highlight that the evisceration process, slaughterhouse environment, and personnel are all contributing factors in ARG spread and underscore the need for enhanced hygiene protocols and reduced gut ARG carriage in domestic birds to mitigate the risk for the consumer. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a33e2e6b92f64c0bad030ed2a8af707a |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2079-6382 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Antibiotics |
| spelling | doaj-art-a33e2e6b92f64c0bad030ed2a8af707a2025-08-20T03:26:15ZengMDPI AGAntibiotics2079-63822025-06-0114660410.3390/antibiotics14060604From Farm to Slaughter: Tracing Antimicrobial Resistance in a Poultry Short Food ChainAndrea Laconi0Roberta Tolosi1Claudia Chirollo2Cristiana Penon3Giacomo Berto4Francesco Galuppo5Alessandra Piccirillo6Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, ItalyDepartment of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, ItalyDepartment of Prevention, AULSS 8 Berica, 36100 Vicenza, ItalyDepartment of Prevention, AULSS 8 Berica, 36100 Vicenza, ItalyDepartment of Prevention, AULSS 8 Berica, 36100 Vicenza, ItalyDepartment of Prevention, AULSS 6 Euganea, 35131 Padua, ItalyDepartment of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy<b>Background</b>: Short food supply chains are commonly perceived as more sustainable and safer alternatives to conventional production systems, often linked to organic, free-range livestock practices. <b>Materials and methods</b>: This study investigates, for the first time, the distribution of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) and characterizes the microbial communities’ composition, using 16S rRNA sequencing and real-time PCR, respectively. Eleven fecal, 76 slaughterhouse surface, 11 cecal, and 11 carcass samples, from 11 poultry farms belonging to the same short food chain, were analyzed in the study. <b>Results</b>: While cleaning and disinfection procedures appeared to reduce the bacterial load on slaughterhouse surfaces, diverse and potentially resistant bacteria, including genera such as <i>Staphylococcus</i> and <i>Streptococcus</i>, persisted both before and after slaughter. ARGs conferring resistance to high-priority critically important antimicrobials (HPCIAs), such as fluoroquinolones and third-generation cephalosporins, were frequently detected on carcasses, with <i>qnrS</i> (76.15%, 95%CI 68.02-84.28%) and <i>bla<sub>CMY2</sub></i> (57.8%, 95%CI 48.38-67.22%) being the most prevalent. The slaughtering process emerged as a critical step for ARG dissemination via intestinal bacteria, such as genus <i>Lactobacillus</i>. Additionally, the detection of <i>mcr</i> genes and <i>bla<sub>NDM</sub></i> on carcasses but not in the bird gut samples suggests possible anthropogenic contamination. <b>Discussion:</b> These findings highlight that the evisceration process, slaughterhouse environment, and personnel are all contributing factors in ARG spread and underscore the need for enhanced hygiene protocols and reduced gut ARG carriage in domestic birds to mitigate the risk for the consumer.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/6/604AMRresistance genesmicrobiotapoultry farmshort supply chainpoultry slaughterhouse |
| spellingShingle | Andrea Laconi Roberta Tolosi Claudia Chirollo Cristiana Penon Giacomo Berto Francesco Galuppo Alessandra Piccirillo From Farm to Slaughter: Tracing Antimicrobial Resistance in a Poultry Short Food Chain Antibiotics AMR resistance genes microbiota poultry farm short supply chain poultry slaughterhouse |
| title | From Farm to Slaughter: Tracing Antimicrobial Resistance in a Poultry Short Food Chain |
| title_full | From Farm to Slaughter: Tracing Antimicrobial Resistance in a Poultry Short Food Chain |
| title_fullStr | From Farm to Slaughter: Tracing Antimicrobial Resistance in a Poultry Short Food Chain |
| title_full_unstemmed | From Farm to Slaughter: Tracing Antimicrobial Resistance in a Poultry Short Food Chain |
| title_short | From Farm to Slaughter: Tracing Antimicrobial Resistance in a Poultry Short Food Chain |
| title_sort | from farm to slaughter tracing antimicrobial resistance in a poultry short food chain |
| topic | AMR resistance genes microbiota poultry farm short supply chain poultry slaughterhouse |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/6/604 |
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