Author
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Boothe, Dorothy |
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Arnold, Judy |
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Submitted to: Journal of Food Protection
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 7/17/2002 Publication Date: 1/1/2003 Citation: Boothe, D.D., Arnold, J.W. 2003. Resistance of bacterial isolates from poultry products to therapeutic veterinary antibiotics. Journal of Food Protection. Interpretive Summary: Bacteria which cause human illness and food spoilage may be found on equipment surfaces in food processing plants. The bacteria grow in communities of microorganisms called biofilms. In order to successfully control biofilms in poultry processing facilities, knowledge of the sources and characteristics of the bacteria commonly present in them is needed. Bacteria were obtained from fresh whole chicken carcasses or cut-up meat samples (breast with or without skin, wings, and thighs) stored at two temperatures common in poultry processing plants. The bacteria were identified, and the effectiveness of ten antibiotics commonly used to treat poultry diseases was assessed for each bacterial isolate. The antibiotics which were least effective were penicillin G, sulfadimethoxine, and erythromycin; the most effective was enrofloxacin. Of the antibiotics tested, as many as six were shown to be ineffective against a specific bacterial isolate. The most common combination of antibiotics which were ineffective was that of the three antibiotics mentioned previously. Differences in effectiveness of antibiotics were noted between bacteria with different types of cell walls, as well as for species within the same genus. Information from this study may aid in preventing the growth of bacteria in biofilms studied in the laboratory or on solid material used to grow specific bacteria. Technical Abstract: Biofilms in food processing plants are a potential source of pathogenic and spoilage bacteria. In order to successfully control biofilms in these environments, including poultry processing facilities, knowledge of the sources and properties of the bacteria commonly present in them is needed. Bacterial isolates from poultry products were tested for susceptibility to 10 antibiotics commonly used in therapeutic treatment of poultry. Bacteria were isolated from fresh whole broiler carcasses or cut-up meat samples (breast with or without skin, wings, and thighs) stored at either 4C or 13C (temperatures relevant to poultry processing facilities). The Biolog system was used to identify isolates, and a broth dilution method was utilized to determine the antibiotic resistance properties of both these isolates and complementary cultures from the American Type Culture Collection. The antibiotics to which the most resistance was noted were penicillin G, sulfadimethoxine, and erythromycin; the least resistance was noted to enrofloxacin. Individual isolates exhibited multiple resistance to as many as six antibiotics, with the most common resistance pattern being among gram- negative bacteria to the three antibiotics mentioned previously. Differences in resistance patterns were noted between gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and between species within the same genus. Knowledge of the antibiotic resistance patterns of these isolates may aid in selectively inhibiting them in laboratory constructed biofilms or on selective media. |
