Antimicrobial resistance in production animals
Darren J. Trott A * , Andrea McWhorter B , Kylie Hewson C , Rebecca Abraham D and Sam Abraham DA
B
C
D
Prof. Darren Trott is a veterinarian and microbiologist with research interests including zoonotic, companion and production animal bacterial diseases, focusing on molecular epidemiology, microbial pathogenesis, microbial ecology, antibiotic resistance and development and repurposing of new antimicrobials. He is the inaugural Director of the Australian Centre of Antimicrobial Resistance Ecology. He teaches veterinary microbiology, antimicrobial chemotherapy and antimicrobial stewardship to veterinary science students and co-ordinates the DVM-1 Clinical Research Project. |
Andrea McWhorter is a microbiologist specialising in poultry health and zoonotic foodborne pathogens. Her research also extends to understanding the transmission of foodborne pathogens from farms to the food supply chain, leading to human disease. Andrea collaborates closely with the egg and chicken meat industries to address the challenges of improving bird health and mitigating zoonotic bacteria in food. |
Kylie Hewson has worked for over 15 years in the Australian agriculture sector as a scientist, research manager, policy manager and advocate for ensuring quality science is not only produced, but also made accessible and able to be used in setting policy and achieving meaningful impact. Kylie has represented industry on several high-level cross-sectoral and government committees, with extensive experience as Chair, across issues such as biosecurity, food safety, animal health and antimicrobial stewardship. |
Rebecca Abraham is an early career researcher with experience in bacterial AMR surveillance and drug discovery for microorganisms including fungi, bacteria, viruses and parasites. She is involved in the development and use of automated high-throughput screening assays to identify novel antimicrobial compounds and to detect bacterial AMR. |
Prof. Sam Abraham is Professor of Microbiology and Director, Centre for Biosecurity and One Health, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University. He leads the Antimicrobial Resistance and Infectious Disease Laboratory. His research encompasses AMR, robotics, genomics, One Health and veterinary microbiology. |
Abstract
There is growing recognition of the significant role food production animals play in the dissemination of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. This issue is particularly relevant in the realm of food production, where the administration of antibiotics of importance to human health to animals can foster the emergence of resistant bacterial strains that may be transmitted to humans through the food supply chain. Further, resistance can develop to antibiotics of importance for animal health which can create health and productivity issues. Cross-sectional surveys of Australian food animal production systems have revealed that very low levels of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are present in key bacterial species. Expansion of AMR surveillance in food production systems is, however, needed to improve the detection sensitivity of emerging resistances of importance to human and animal health. Scalable high throughput technologies, such as the robotic antimicrobial susceptibility platform (RASP), represents a step-fold change in the capacity to accurately detect AMR. Enhanced surveillance along with improved biosecurity, industry engagement and antimicrobial stewardship will contribute to maintaining low levels of AMR in Australia’s food production systems.
Keywords: animal production, antimicrobial resistance, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, critically important antimicrobials, food-producing animals, livestock, robotic processing, surveillance.
Prof. Darren Trott is a veterinarian and microbiologist with research interests including zoonotic, companion and production animal bacterial diseases, focusing on molecular epidemiology, microbial pathogenesis, microbial ecology, antibiotic resistance and development and repurposing of new antimicrobials. He is the inaugural Director of the Australian Centre of Antimicrobial Resistance Ecology. He teaches veterinary microbiology, antimicrobial chemotherapy and antimicrobial stewardship to veterinary science students and co-ordinates the DVM-1 Clinical Research Project. |
Andrea McWhorter is a microbiologist specialising in poultry health and zoonotic foodborne pathogens. Her research also extends to understanding the transmission of foodborne pathogens from farms to the food supply chain, leading to human disease. Andrea collaborates closely with the egg and chicken meat industries to address the challenges of improving bird health and mitigating zoonotic bacteria in food. |
Kylie Hewson has worked for over 15 years in the Australian agriculture sector as a scientist, research manager, policy manager and advocate for ensuring quality science is not only produced, but also made accessible and able to be used in setting policy and achieving meaningful impact. Kylie has represented industry on several high-level cross-sectoral and government committees, with extensive experience as Chair, across issues such as biosecurity, food safety, animal health and antimicrobial stewardship. |
Rebecca Abraham is an early career researcher with experience in bacterial AMR surveillance and drug discovery for microorganisms including fungi, bacteria, viruses and parasites. She is involved in the development and use of automated high-throughput screening assays to identify novel antimicrobial compounds and to detect bacterial AMR. |
Prof. Sam Abraham is Professor of Microbiology and Director, Centre for Biosecurity and One Health, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University. He leads the Antimicrobial Resistance and Infectious Disease Laboratory. His research encompasses AMR, robotics, genomics, One Health and veterinary microbiology. |
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