Antimicrobial resistance in meat products damaging to European food industry

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is currently one of the ‘biggest threats’ to public health, according to a collaborative study by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

The report highlighted important issues surrounding AMR, including the detection of carbapenems in poultry, and the emergence of ciproflaxin-resistant superbug Salmonella Kentucky.

Carbapenem is an antibiotic used to treat multidrug-resistant bacteria in humans, and is not authorised for use in animals.  Meanwhile, cases of Salmonella Kentucky were reported for the first time in four countries.

The report found very low levels of carbapenem antibiotics in poultry meat in two EU member states. The prevalence of ESBL-producing E. coli in chickens varied across European nations from low (>10%) to extremely high (<70%).

From the study, the EFSA/ECDC concluded that 25% of infections found in humans are caused by Salmonella bacteria that resist three or more antibiotics used in animal and human treatment. Significantly, 76.3% of S. Kentucky was found to be resistant to three or more antimicrobials.

European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytenis Andriukaitis said: “Levels of antimicrobial resistance still differ significantly from one EU country to another,” said European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytenis Andriukaitis.

“To win the fight, we need to join our efforts and implement stringent policies on the use of antibiotics across sectors. It is vital that we all renew our commitment to fight antimicrobial resistance by focusing on the key areas set out in the EU One Health Action Plan against antimicrobial resistance.”

The study also documented cases of linezolid-resistant and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus (MRSA) in pigs. Linezolid is a last-resort antibiotic for treating serious infections caused by the MRSA bacterium.

EFSA chief scientist Marta Hugas said: “The detection of resistance to carbapenems in poultry and to linezolid in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureusin pigs is alarming because these antibiotics are used in humans to treat serious infections. It is important that risk managers follow-up on these findings.”

In January 2018, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) reported high levels of campylobacter in chickens bred for UK supermarkets.

“We are concerned to see that Salmonella and campylobacter bacteria in humans show high levels of antimicrobial resistance,” said ECDC chief scientist Mike Catchpole.

“The fact that we keep detecting multidrug-resistant bacteria means that the situation is not improving. We need to investigate the origins and prevent the spread of highly resistant strains, such as ESBL-producing Salmonella Kentucky”.