Epidemiological characterization of the conventional and antibiotic-free poultry production in antibiotic resistance perspective using a One Health approach

• Grant number: 22/03062-6
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Initial Project
• Start date: February 01, 2023
• End date: January 31, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Juliano Gonçalves Pereira
• Grantee: Juliano Gonçalves Pereira
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Fábio Sossai Possebon ; Ibiara Correia de Lima Almeida Paz ; João Pessoa Araújo Junior ; Ricardo Seiti Yamatogi
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/17442-0 - Veterinary drug residues in the conventional and antibiotic-free chicken meat production chain, BP.MS; 23/01185-6 - Influence of conventional and antibiotic-free poultry meat production systems in determining the antibiotic resistance profile of Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp., BP.MS; 23/01195-1 - Resistome composition and distribution in the conventional and antibiotic-free poultry production systems, BP.DR

Abstract

Antibiotic resistance is one major concern in public health worldwide and the production chain of animal origin food is constantly impaired for increasing the selection pressure in bacteria, with emphasis on poultry production. Human exposition to environmental or pathogenic bacteria harboring antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) can lead to persistent infections. A wide epidemiological evaluation, based on the One Health approach is essential, and Massive DNA sequencing stands out, allowing to determinate the ARGs in samples (resistome) and evaluate microorganism and other viable genes, supporting assertive decisions and mitigating antibiotic resistance risks. Furthermore, the study of antibiotic free animal production can provide insights for conventional production in reducing ARGs occurrence. The present study aims to epidemiologically evaluate conventional and antibiotic free poultry productions in the context of antibiotics resistance, using conventional microbiology techniques and massive DNA sequencing on a One Health approach. Batches of conventional (n=12) and antibiotic free (n=12) poultry production will be evaluated in different seasons (summer and winter) from farm to final product (meat), sampling farms and slaughterhouses environment, animals, humans, animal food, water, and commercial meat. Samples will be submitted to micro-organisms isolation, phenotypical determination of antibiotic resistance profile (disc diffusion), massive DNA sequencing for microbiome and resistome evaluation and whole genome sequencing of selected isolates. From data obtained in the epidemiological evaluation, the main characteristics interfering in the resistance and/or microbiological profile will be evaluated in controlled situation on experimental aviaries, aiming to corroborate the findings from the first experiment that are related to antimicrobial resistance occurrence. (AU)