Influence of conventional and antibiotic-free poultry meat production systems in determining the antibiotic resistance profile of Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp.

• Grant number: 23/01185-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: March 01, 2023
• End date: February 28, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Products of Animal Origin Inspection
• Principal Investigator: Juliano Gonçalves Pereira
• Grantee: Patrícia Regina Lopes Melo
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 22/03062-6 - Epidemiological characterization of the conventional and antibiotic-free poultry production in antibiotic resistance perspective using a One Health approach, AP.PNGP.PI

Abstract

Antibiotic resistance is a relevant issue in public health and, to reduce the negative effects on the population, more sustainable alternatives for food production need to be adopted. Meat production, especially chicken meat, uses large amounts of antibiotics. As an adverse effect of this use, resistant bacteria can arise and spread along the chain. In this sense, studying alternative ways of producing chicken meat, such as the antibiotic-free system, can provide important information on the issue of dissemination of resistance in meat production, supporting the application of tools and practical actions that can be applied in production. conventional. The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of conventional and antibiotic-free chicken meat production systems in determining the antibiotic resistance profile of Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp. Batches of chickens reared in both systems will be monitored from farm to slaughter, with samples collected over two years. Samples from the production environment, slaughterhouse and final product will be collected and submitted to research and molecular confirmation of Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp. through official methodologies and the resistance profile determined by the disk-diffusion method. Carrying out the present study will allow obtaining relevant results for public health, allowing the characterization of the role of conventional and antibiotic-free production chains in the resistance profile of bacteria. This issue is considered one of the current global challenges for public health, and the importance of animal foods in this scenario is undeniable. Considering these results, more precise and objective strategies can be defined, aiming at controlling antibiotic resistance in food production.