Assessment of Antibiotic Resistant Commensal Bacteria in Food

Abstract : The rapid emergence of antibiotic resistant (ART) pathogens is a major public health concern. Although antibiotic resistance (AR) in foodborne pathogens has been studied extensively, the contribution of foodborne commensals in disseminating the resistance genes has been neglected in the past. Foodborne pathogens only account for a very small portion of microbes associated with food; meanwhile, AR encoding genes can be transferred readily from commensals to pathogens by natural gene transfer mechanisms. Horizontal transmission of genetic material from one organism to another has been established as a major mechanism for the expedited development of resistance. The impacts of antibiotic applications in clinical treatments, veterinary medicine, animal husbandry practices and animal feed on the emergence of antibiotic resistance (AR) have been well-documented. However, knowledge on other major routes in the dissemination of AR is limited. This information is essential to properly evaluate the contribution of food chain in the evolvement of AR pathogen, particularly in susceptible host populations.