Review on the Major Antimicrobial Resistance Bacterial Pathogen of Poultry

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health threat, and antimicrobial usage and AMR in animal production is one of its contributing sources. Poultry flocks are often raised under intensive conditions using large amounts of antimicrobials to prevent and to treat disease, as well as for growth promotion. Antimicrobial resistant of poultry pathogens may result in treatment failure, leading to economic losses, but also be a source of resistant bacteria/genes (including zoonotic bacteria) that may represent a risk to human health. Here I reviewed data on AMR in poultry pathogens, including avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC), Salmonella Pullorum/Gallinarum, Pasteurellamultocida, Clostridiumperfringens, Mycoplasma spp, Avibacteriumparagallinarum, Gallibacteriumanatis, Ornitobacteriumrhinotracheale (ORT) and Bordetella avium. A number of studies have demonstrated increases in resistance over time for S. Pullorum/Gallinarum, M. gallisepticum, and G. anatis. Among Enterobacteriaeae, APEC isolates displayed considerably higher levels of AMR compared with S. Pullorum/Gallinarum, with prevalence of resistance over >80% for ampicillin, amoxicillin, tetracycline across studies. Among the Gram-negative, non-Enterobacteriaceae pathogens, ORT had the highest levels of phenotypic resistance with median levels of AMR against co-trimoxazole, enrofloxacin, gentamicin, amoxicillin, and ceftiofur all exceeding 50%. In contrast, levels of resistance among P. multocida isolates were less than 20% for all antimicrobials. AMR poses considerable health hazards to the consumers unless prudent antimicrobial usage, adequate heat treatment, improvement of standards of hygiene and development and enforcement of suitable legislation, which safeguard consumers, are urgently instituted.