Class I Integrons evaluation in bacterial isolates from conventional and antibiotic free poultry production system

• Grant number: 23/16695-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2024
• End date: December 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Products of Animal Origin Inspection
• Principal Investigator: Fábio Sossai Possebon
• Grantee: Gabriel Henrique Gomes Mariano
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The Brazilian poultry industry is a global leader in exports and stands out as the third largest producer of chicken meat worldwide. In this scenario, antimicrobials play a crucial role in the prevention and control of diseases affecting poultry farming and impacting the economy. However, the emergence and spread of antimicrobial-resistant microorganisms, a natural and predominantly genetic process, have been intensified due to extensive and indiscriminate use of these substances. Integrons, notably recognized for harboring antibiotic resistance genes, assume a fundamental role as key markers to monitor and comprehend the spread of antimicrobial resistance. This project aims to investigate the presence of class 1 integrons in gram-negative bacteria, using samples from poultry production chains, from brands using antimicrobials and brands that does not use then, with the purpose of evaluating the occurrence of antimicrobials resistance genetic elements and guiding control and regulatory policies in the food industry.