Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria and Strategies for Antibiotic Resistance Mitigation

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Antimicrobial Agents and Resistance".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2022) | Viewed by 7880

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Guest Editor
Department of Animal Science, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
Interests: alternatives to antibiotics in poultry production; phytobiotics as emerging antimicrobials; multidrug-resistant bacteria; antibiotic resistance mitigation
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Antimicrobial resistance is a major threat challenging human advancement in this century, and has emerged as a global issue negatively affecting health, food security, and development. Historically, the discovery of different classes of antibiotics had a tremendous impact on the treatment, control, and prevention of diseases in humans and animals. While the use of antibiotics in food animals has improved intestinal health, reduced disease, and alleviated reproductive problems, the emergence of drug-resistant pathogens and their potential transmission to humans have restricted their applications in production. In recent years, several drug-resistant pathogens have been implicated as etiological agents of human disease, including those contributing significantly to the burden of foodborne disease. Consequentially, significant changes and adjustments in production practices have been introduced in an otherwise organized production setting where antibiotics were successfully relied upon to obtain optimal production. In response to the mounting evidence connecting antibiotic use in food animals and human health risks, the establishment of strict requirements for the distribution and use of clinically relevant antibiotics, and animal feeds or water containing such drugs, have resulted. Given the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains of pathogens in the food chain, there has been a growing interest in identifying solutions addressing such concerns. Preventing and limiting the spread of multidrug-resistant infections and discovering and evaluating alternatives to antibiotics and similar mitigation approaches are potential ways to handle this problem. The development of improved diagnostic tests, understanding transmission mechanisms, and introducing targeted education and outreach programs could help. This Special Issue will be a collection of research articles, reviews, and short communications of advances in scientific research and programs in the areas mentioned above intended to address problems associated with antibiotic resistance development.

Prof. Dr. Anup Kollanoor Johny
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • antimicrobial resistance
  • food animals
  • agriculture
  • poultry
  • alternatives
  • diagnostic tools
  • mechanisms of transmission
  • education
  • outreach
  • food animal/poultry–human interface
  • environment
  • resistome
  • microbiome
  • metabolome
  • stewardship
  • mitigation
  • wildlife

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 882 KiB  
Article
Dual Antimicrobial Effect of Medium-Chain Fatty Acids against an Italian Multidrug Resistant Brachyspira hyodysenteriae Strain
by Giulia Giovagnoni, Benedetta Tugnoli, Andrea Piva and Ester Grilli
Microorganisms 2022, 10(2), 301; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10020301 - 27 Jan 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2790
Abstract
The fastidious nature of Brachyspira hyodysenteriae limits an accurate in vitro pre-screening of conventionally used antibiotics and other candidate alternative antimicrobials. This results in a non-judicious use of antibiotics, leading to an exponential increase of the antibiotic resistance issue and a slowdown in [...] Read more.
The fastidious nature of Brachyspira hyodysenteriae limits an accurate in vitro pre-screening of conventionally used antibiotics and other candidate alternative antimicrobials. This results in a non-judicious use of antibiotics, leading to an exponential increase of the antibiotic resistance issue and a slowdown in the research for new molecules that might stop this serious phenomenon. In this study we tested four antibiotics (tylosin, lincomycin, doxycycline, and tiamulin) and medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA; hexanoic, octanoic, decanoic, and dodecanoic acid) against an Italian field strain of B. hyodysenteriae and the ATCC 27164 strain as reference. We determined the minimal inhibitory concentrations of these substances, underlining the multidrug resistance pattern of the field strain and, on the contrary, a consistent and stable inhibitory effect of the tested MCFA against both strains. Then, sub-inhibitory concentrations of antibiotics and MCFA were examined in modulating a panel of B. hyodysenteriae virulence genes (tlyA, tlyB, bhlp16, bhlp29.7, and bhmp39f). Results of gene expression analysis were variable, with up- and downregulations not properly correlated with particular substances or target genes. Decanoic and dodecanoic acid with their direct and indirect antimicrobial property were the most effective among MCFA, suggesting them as good candidates for subsequent in vivo trials. Full article
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11 pages, 7015 KiB  
Article
Resistance Patterns of Gram-Negative Bacteria Recovered from Clinical Specimens of Intensive Care Patients
by Farooq Ahmed Wani, Altaf Bandy, Mohammed Jayed S. Alenzi, Abdulaziz Ibrahim Alzarea, Abdullah S. Alanazi, Mohammed Ubaidullah Sayeed, Ashokkumar Thirunavukkarasu, Bilal Tantry and Mushtaq Dar
Microorganisms 2021, 9(11), 2246; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9112246 - 28 Oct 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2187
Abstract
Intensive care units are complex environments favoring high resistance in microorganisms. This study evaluated the resistance and the distribution dynamics of resistant Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) in patients admitted to intensive care units. This retrospective, record-based, cross-sectional study analyzed all of the antibiograms of [...] Read more.
Intensive care units are complex environments favoring high resistance in microorganisms. This study evaluated the resistance and the distribution dynamics of resistant Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) in patients admitted to intensive care units. This retrospective, record-based, cross-sectional study analyzed all of the antibiograms of patients admitted to the ICUs. The BD Phoenix system (BD Diagnostics, Sparks, MD, USA) was used for bacterial identification and antimicrobial testing. Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute recommendations were used for antimicrobial testing. Frequencies and percentages of multidrug and pan-drug resistance were calculated. A total of 570 bacterial growths were observed, out of which 437 (76.7%) were of GNB. K. pneumoniae (21.0%), P. aeruginosa (11.8%), and Staphylococcus aureus (13.2%) were the most frequent disease-causing bacteria in intensive care patients. Resistance rates of 73.2% and 70.1% were observed for third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins, respectively, while 48.2% carbapenem and > 65% fluoroquinolones resistance rates were observed. Amikacin was the most effective antibiotic, with a sensitivity rate of 69.5%. A total of 372 (85.1%) of GNB were multidrug resistant. The majority of infections in intensive care patients are caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria. Female gender and advancing age are factors favoring MDR. Enhanced surveillance and strengthening of the antimicrobial stewardship program are warranted. Full article
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12 pages, 714 KiB  
Article
Prevalence and Risk Factors for ESBL/AmpC-E. coli in Pre-Weaned Dairy Calves on Dairy Farms in Germany
by Laura Patricia Weber, Sylvia Dreyer, Maike Heppelmann, Katharina Schaufler, Timo Homeier-Bachmann and Lisa Bachmann
Microorganisms 2021, 9(10), 2135; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9102135 - 12 Oct 2021
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 2262
Abstract
The objectives of this study were to ascertain the fecal ESBL/AmpC-E. coli prevalence and to detect risk factors for their occurrence in young pre-weaned calves and their dams on large dairy farms in Germany. From 2018–2019 we investigated 2816 individual fecal samples [...] Read more.
The objectives of this study were to ascertain the fecal ESBL/AmpC-E. coli prevalence and to detect risk factors for their occurrence in young pre-weaned calves and their dams on large dairy farms in Germany. From 2018–2019 we investigated 2816 individual fecal samples from pre-weaned dairy calves and their dams, representing seventy-two farms (mean = 667 milking cows) from eight German federal states. To assess possible risk factors associated with ESBL/AmpC-E. coli prevalence in calves and dams, a questionnaire was performed, collecting management data. We observed an ESBL/AmpC-E. coli prevalence of 63.5% (95% CI: 57.4–69.5) among the sampled calves and 18.0% (95% CI: 12.5–23.5) among the dams. On all farms, at least one positive sample was obtained. To date, this is the highest ESBL/AmpC-E. coli prevalence observed in dairy herds in Europe. Feeding with waste milk was identified as a significant risk factor for a high prevalence of ESBL/AmpC-E. coli in calves. Many calves at large dairies in Germany are fed with waste milk due to the large amounts generated as a result of antibiotic dry-off routines and mastitis treatment with antibiotics. Other notable risk factors for high ESBL/AmpC-E. coli in calves were the general fitness/health of dams and calves, and the quality of farm hygiene. Taken together, these findings suggest that new or improved approaches to animal health management, for example, antibiotic dry cow management (selective dry cow therapy) and mastitis treatment (high self-recovery), as well as farm hygiene, should be researched and implemented. Full article
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