A recent study published in Microbiology Insights has discovered high levels of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Escherichia coli isolated from samples of retail chicken meat and chicken fecal matter. The study was conducted in Ghana, where antibiotics are widely used—with minimal regulation—to meet the nation’s high demand for fresh chicken. The study contributes to the ongoing AMR surveillance efforts in the agrifood sector that are necessary to informing human medical and veterinary practices on how to approach the global health threat posed by AMR.
To conduct the study, researchers obtained 25 samples of raw chicken and 50 samples of poultry fecal matter from eight popular retail stores and two medium-scale farms, respectively. The selected retail stores sell imported chicken meat from Brazil, the U.S., and Belgium to both individuals and restaurants. The selected farms raise over 6,000 layers and broilers each; bring in day-old chicks and feed mills from other Ghanaian farms; maintain regular vaccination and drug administration programs; and sell eggs, dressed broilers, and live birds to both individuals and restaurants.