Concerning Resistance to Key Antibiotics Seen in Foodborne Pathogens in EU Food Animals
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A joint report from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Center for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) shows that resistance to key antibiotics among important foodborne pathogens is persistently high in both humans and animals.
The report is based on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance data collected in 2022–2023 for bacterial isolates from food-producing animals and their meat, and from human clinical cases. Data was provided by the 27 EU Member States, Northern Ireland, Iceland, Norway, Montenegro, the Republic of North Macedonia, and Switzerland. The report looked at AMR data for Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Escherichia coli.
A concerning trend is the increasing resistance to ciprofloxacin among Salmonella Enteritidis and Campylobacter jejuni in humans, seen in more than half of the countries that submitted data. Due to the level of resistance, fluoroquinolones can no longer be recommended for the treatment of Campylobacter infections in humans.
Additionally, high to extremely high proportions of ciprofloxacin resistance were seen in Campylobacter from food-producing animals (chickens, fattening turkeys, fattening pigs, and calves), and in Salmonella and Escherichia coli from poultry specifically. Ciprofloxacin is a critically important fluoroquinolone antimicrobial used to treat Salmonella and Campylobacter infections.
On a positive note, combined resistance to critically important antimicrobials (i.e., resistance to two different specific antimicrobials) was generally found to be low in Salmonella, Campylobacter and E. coli.
Additionally, although individual variations across the EU were found, key outcome indicators show that significant progress has been made in reducing AMR in food-producing animals in several Member States. Differences in the occurrence of AMR in Member States can relate to historical or current patterns of antimicrobial use; however, it may also highlight differences in husbandry and/or other practices or strategies that may assist in the prevention of AMR.
For Salmonella and indicator E. coli isolates from food-producing animals, resistance to ampicillin, tetracyclines, and sulfonamides ranged from moderate to very high in most EU Member States. Resistance to third-generation cephalosporins (cefotaxime and ceftazidime) was reported at low levels in Salmonella isolates from animals. At the same time, between 2014 and 2023, a statistically increasing trend in ampicillin resistance was observed in Salmonella isolates from broilers, while a declining trend in tetracycline resistance was noted in turkey isolates.
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In imported fresh meat of broilers and turkeys sampled at border control posts, very high levels of resistance to third-generation cephalosporins were observed for Salmonella. Similarly, in indicator E. coli, resistance to third-generation cephalosporins was reported at very low or low levels in all animal populations and imported fresh meat of pigs and cattle, whereas moderate levels of resistance were seen in imported fresh meat of broilers and turkeys.
Resistance to (fluoro)quinolones was reported at high to very high levels among Salmonella and indicator E. coli isolates recovered from broilers, fattening turkeys, and imported poultry meat in 2022.
Follow-up activities are required after the detection of a number of carbapenemase-producing (CP) E. coli isolates in pigs, cattle under one year of age, poultry, and meat by seven Member States in 2022–2023. The number of reported CP isolates is increasing. These isolates need to be monitored closely as carbapenems are last-resort antimicrobials for human therapy and are not licensed for use in food-producing animals. Sources of CP isolates in livestock should be further investigated.
