A Critical Review of AMR Risks Arising as a Consequence of Using Biocides and Certain Metals in Food Animal Production

Abstract

The focus of this review was to assess what evidence exists on whether, and to what extent, the use of biocides (disinfectants and sanitizers) and certain metals (used in feed and other uses) in animal production (both land and aquatic) leads to the development and spread of AMR within the food chain. A comprehensive literature search identified 3434 publications, which after screening were reduced to 154 relevant publications from which some data were extracted to address the focus of the review. The review has shown that there is some evidence that biocides and metals used in food animal production may have an impact on the development of AMR. There is clear evidence that metals used in food animal production will persist, accumulate, and may impact on the development of AMR in primary animal and food production environments for many years. There is less evidence on the persistence and impact of biocides. There is also particularly little, if any, data on the impact of biocides/metal use in aquaculture on AMR. Although it is recognized that AMR from food animal production is a risk to human health there is not sufficient evidence to undertake an assessment of the impact of biocide or metal use on this risk and further focused in-field studies are needed provide the evidence required.

The IncC and IncX1 resistance plasmids present in multi-drug resistantEscherichia colistrains isolated from poultry manure in Poland

“…Such genetic linkage between metal- and antibiotic-resistance traits has been reported on plasmids in Enterobacteriaceae and in other bacteria isolated from other animal feces, soil, or sewage (47–50). It has been shown that metals used in animal feed accumulate and persist in food animals, and may impact the development of AMR in primary animal and food production environments (51). Many studies indicate that the spread of AMR introduced through the application of manure to agricultural fields leads to its further spread within the food chain, and may pose a risk to human health (17, 52–54).…”

The IncC and IncX1 resistance plasmids present in multi-drug resistant Escherichia coli strains isolated from poultry manure in Poland

“…Such genetic linkage between metal-and antibioticresistance traits has been reported on plasmids in Enterobacteriaceae and in other bacteria isolated from other animal feces, soil, or sewage(Summers et al 1993;Ghosh et al 2000;Hasman and Aarestrup 2002;Rozwandowicz et al 2018). It has been shown that metals used in animal feed accumulate and persist in food animals, and may impact the development of AMR in primary animal and food production environments(James et al 2023). Many studies indicate that the spread of AMR introduced through the application of manure to agricultural elds leads to its further spread within the food chain, and may pose a risk to human health(Do et al 2022ażejewska et al 2022Zalewska et al 2023Zalewska et al , 2024.…”