Prevalence and Epidemiology of Multidrug-Resistant Pathogens in the Food Chain and the Urban Environment in Northwestern Germany

Abstract

The surveillance of antimicrobial resistance among humans and food-producing animals is important to monitor the zoonotic transmission of multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDRB). We assessed the prevalence of four MDRB within the meat production chain, including extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing, carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) and colistin-resistant Enterobacterales (Col-E), as well as vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE). In total, 505 samples from four stages of meat production, i.e., slaughterhouses, meat-processing plants, fresh food products and the urban environment, were collected in northwestern Germany in 2018/2019 and screened for the presence of MDRB using both culture-based and PCR-based techniques. We detected genes encoding for carbapenemases in 9–56% (blaOXA-48, blaKPC, blaNDM, blaVIM) and colistin resistance-encoding mcr genes in 9–26% of the samples from all stages. Culture-based analysis found CPE and VRE only in environmental samples (11% and 7%, respectively), but Col-E and ESBL-producers in 1–7% and 12–46% of samples from all stages, respectively. Overall, our results showed that ESBL-producers and mcr-carrying Col-E were common in food-producing animals at slaughterhouses, in meat-processing plants and in food items at retail, while CPE and VRE were only found in the environment. The discrepancy between detected carbapenemase genes and isolated CPE emphasizes the need for more sensitive detection methods for CPE monitoring.

Prevalence and zoonotic transmission of colistin-resistant and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales on German pig farms

“…The prevalence varied between different animals and was highest on turkey farms (up to 17.9%) but lower on pig farms (1.5–2.1%) [ 10 ]. In a more recent study on samples taken in 2018/2019 for a food monitoring program in North-West Germany, mcr -1 was detected in 9–26% of the samples from different levels of the food production chain [ 12 ].…”

“…For mcr -positive samples, 10 μl of the enrichment were streaked on selective media (chromID Colistin R, bioMérieux, Marcy l’ Etoile, France). In addition, the enrichment broth of all samples was used for direct inoculation of 10 μL on chromID Colistin R to enhance screening sensitivity as described before [ 12 ].…”

“…Although carbapenems are not licensed in veterinary medicine, CPE ( bla VIM-1 positive E. coli and Salmonella ) were first reported in German livestock in 2012 [ 8 , 9 ] on a limited number of farms. Recently, it was found that mcr -1 positive E. coli were prevalent in poultry production [ 10 ], on pig farms [ 11 ], and slaughterhouses as well as fresh food items [ 12 ] in Germany. Studies in several countries, such as in the Netherlands [ 13 ], Denmark [ 14 ], and Vietnam [ 15 ], have identified direct exposure to livestock as a risk factor for the carriage of ESBL- E. coli as carriage rates among farmers and slaughterhouses exceeded the proportions observed in the general population.…”

Prevalence of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus (VRE) in Companion Animals: The First Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review

“…The ban on avoparcin or other growth promoters may not have been strictly adhered to and this may be the explanation for the post-avoparcin ban prevalence reported in companion animals. The effect of banning growth promoters, especially in Europe, has led to a decrease in resistant bacteria in food animals [ 45 , 46 ]. Even after the ban, the persistent occurrence of VRE could be due to the link between macrolide and vancomycin used for therapy and growth promotion [ 47 , 48 ].…”

Antibiotika – Einsatz und Resistenz in Human- und Veterinärmedizin

“…So ist es nicht verwunderlich, dass sich in diesem Bereich Colistin-resistente Enterobakterien angereichert haben, die ein plasmidkodiertes Colistin-Resistenzgen (mcr) tragen. In Deutschland werden mcr-Gene in 8 % der Schweine-und 25 % der Putenfleischproben nachgewiesen [16] bzw. bei am Schlachthof untersuchten Proben enthielten 9,1 %, 4,7 %, 2,5 %, 0,4 % der E. coli von Puten, Masthähnchen, -kälbern, -schweinen mcr [17].…”