Antibiotic resistance via the food chain: Fact or fiction?

The mechanisms that bacteria use to acquire additional genetic material, including genes coding for antibiotic resistance, are principally the secondary pathways that have been described as transformation and conjugation pathways. The farming industry often is reported as a hotspot for antibiotic...

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Main Authors: Linda Bester, Sabiha Essack
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Academy of Science of South Africa 2010-09-01
Series:South African Journal of Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://sajs.co.za/article/view/10110
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author Linda Bester
Sabiha Essack
author_facet Linda Bester
Sabiha Essack
author_sort Linda Bester
collection DOAJ
description The mechanisms that bacteria use to acquire additional genetic material, including genes coding for antibiotic resistance, are principally the secondary pathways that have been described as transformation and conjugation pathways. The farming industry often is reported as a hotspot for antibiotic-resistance reservoirs. In this review, we consider the exposure of food animals during the course of their lifespans to preventative, therapeutic or prophylactic treatment with antibiotic agents. In this context, zoonotic bacteria are commonly recognised as a potential threat to human health, with therapeutic treatment of pathogenic organisms on farms increasing the likelihood of selective antibiotic pressure influencing the commensal flora of the intestines. Existing literature indicates, however, that the effective impact on human health of such interventions in the food production process is still subject to debate.
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institution Kabale University
issn 1996-7489
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publisher Academy of Science of South Africa
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series South African Journal of Science
spelling doaj-art-42d72e5dc89c45e9a7378416a0e24b282025-08-20T03:54:07ZengAcademy of Science of South AfricaSouth African Journal of Science1996-74892010-09-011069/105 pages5 pages8312Antibiotic resistance via the food chain: Fact or fiction?Linda Bester0Sabiha Essack1University of KwaZulu-NatalUniversity of KwaZulu-NatalThe mechanisms that bacteria use to acquire additional genetic material, including genes coding for antibiotic resistance, are principally the secondary pathways that have been described as transformation and conjugation pathways. The farming industry often is reported as a hotspot for antibiotic-resistance reservoirs. In this review, we consider the exposure of food animals during the course of their lifespans to preventative, therapeutic or prophylactic treatment with antibiotic agents. In this context, zoonotic bacteria are commonly recognised as a potential threat to human health, with therapeutic treatment of pathogenic organisms on farms increasing the likelihood of selective antibiotic pressure influencing the commensal flora of the intestines. Existing literature indicates, however, that the effective impact on human health of such interventions in the food production process is still subject to debate.https://sajs.co.za/article/view/10110antibiotic susceptibilityfood securityfood productionsgene transfer
spellingShingle Linda Bester
Sabiha Essack
Antibiotic resistance via the food chain: Fact or fiction?
South African Journal of Science
antibiotic susceptibility
food security
food productions
gene transfer
title Antibiotic resistance via the food chain: Fact or fiction?
title_full Antibiotic resistance via the food chain: Fact or fiction?
title_fullStr Antibiotic resistance via the food chain: Fact or fiction?
title_full_unstemmed Antibiotic resistance via the food chain: Fact or fiction?
title_short Antibiotic resistance via the food chain: Fact or fiction?
title_sort antibiotic resistance via the food chain fact or fiction
topic antibiotic susceptibility
food security
food productions
gene transfer
url https://sajs.co.za/article/view/10110
work_keys_str_mv AT lindabester antibioticresistanceviathefoodchainfactorfiction
AT sabihaessack antibioticresistanceviathefoodchainfactorfiction