Katharina Wadepohl1, Anja Müller2, Diana Seinige2, Karl Rohn3, Thomas Blaha1, Diana Meemken4, Corinna Kehrenberg5. 1. Field Station for Epidemiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bakum, Germany. 2. Institute for Food Quality and Food Safety, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany. 3. Institute for Biometry, Epidemiology and Information Processing (IBEI), University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany. 4. Institute of Food Safety and Food Hygiene, Section Meat Hygiene, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany. 5. Institute for Veterinary Food Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Bacteria that have acquired antimicrobial resistance, in particular ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae, are an important healthcare concern. Therefore, transmission routes and risk factors are of interest, especially for the carriage of ESBL-producing E. coli. Since there is an enhanced risk for pig slaughterhouse employees to carry ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae, associated with animal contact as potential risk factor, the present study investigated the occurrence of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae in poultry slaughterhouse employees. Due to the higher level of resistant Enterobacteriaceae in primary poultry production than in pig production, a higher risk of intestinal colonization of poultry slaughterhouse employees was expected. RESULTS: ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae were detected in 5.1% (5 of 99) of the fecal samples of slaughterhouse workers. The species of these isolates was confirmed as E. coli. PCR assays revealed the presence of the genes blaCTX-M-15 (n = 2) and blaSHV-12 (n = 3) in these isolates, partly in combination with the β-lactamase gene blaTEM-135. Participants were divided into two groups according to their occupational exposure and results indicated an increased probability of colonization with ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae for the group of 'higher exposure' (OR 3.7, exact 95% CI 0.6-23.5; p = 0.4). For intestinal colonization with ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae, a prevalence of 10% (3/30) was observed in the group of 'higher exposure' versus 2.9% (2/69) in the group of 'lower exposure'. Employees in working steps such as 'hanging' poultry in the process of slaughter and 'evisceration' seemed to have a higher risk for intestinal colonization with ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae compared to the group of 'lower exposure'. CONCLUSION: This study is the first of its kind to collect data on the occupational exposure of slaughterhouse workers to ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae in Europe. The results suggested that colonization with ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae is associated with occupational exposure in poultry slaughterhouses. However, the presence of ESBL-producing E. coli isolates in only 5.1% (5/99) of the tested employees in poultry slaughterhouses suggests a lower transmission risk than in pig slaughterhouses.
BACKGROUND: Bacteria that have acquired antimicrobial resistance, in particular ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae, are an important healthcare concern. Therefore, transmission routes and risk factors are of interest, especially for the carriage of ESBL-producing E. coli. Since there is an enhanced risk for pig slaughterhouse employees to carry ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae, associated with animal contact as potential risk factor, the present study investigated the occurrence of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae in poultry slaughterhouse employees. Due to the higher level of resistant Enterobacteriaceae in primary poultry production than in pig production, a higher risk of intestinal colonization of poultry slaughterhouse employees was expected. RESULTS:ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae were detected in 5.1% (5 of 99) of the fecal samples of slaughterhouse workers. The species of these isolates was confirmed as E. coli. PCR assays revealed the presence of the genes blaCTX-M-15 (n = 2) and blaSHV-12 (n = 3) in these isolates, partly in combination with the β-lactamase gene blaTEM-135. Participants were divided into two groups according to their occupational exposure and results indicated an increased probability of colonization with ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae for the group of 'higher exposure' (OR 3.7, exact 95% CI 0.6-23.5; p = 0.4). For intestinal colonization with ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae, a prevalence of 10% (3/30) was observed in the group of 'higher exposure' versus 2.9% (2/69) in the group of 'lower exposure'. Employees in working steps such as 'hanging' poultry in the process of slaughter and 'evisceration' seemed to have a higher risk for intestinal colonization with ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae compared to the group of 'lower exposure'. CONCLUSION: This study is the first of its kind to collect data on the occupational exposure of slaughterhouse workers to ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae in Europe. The results suggested that colonization with ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae is associated with occupational exposure in poultry slaughterhouses. However, the presence of ESBL-producing E. coli isolates in only 5.1% (5/99) of the tested employees in poultry slaughterhouses suggests a lower transmission risk than in pig slaughterhouses.
Authors: Dongsheng Yang; Dick J J Heederik; Peter Scherpenisse; Liese Van Gompel; Roosmarijn E C Luiken; Katharina Wadepohl; Magdalena Skarżyńska; Eri Van Heijnsbergen; Inge M Wouters; Gerdit D Greve; Betty G M Jongerius-Gortemaker; Monique Tersteeg-Zijderveld; Lützen Portengen; Katharina Juraschek; Jennie Fischer; Magdalena Zając; Dariusz Wasyl; Jaap A Wagenaar; Dik J Mevius; Lidwien A M Smit; Heike Schmitt Journal: J Antimicrob Chemother Date: 2022-06-29 Impact factor: 5.758
Authors: Konstantinos Koutsoumanis; Ana Allende; Avelino Álvarez-Ordóñez; Declan Bolton; Sara Bover-Cid; Marianne Chemaly; Robert Davies; Alessandra De Cesare; Lieve Herman; Friederike Hilbert; Roland Lindqvist; Maarten Nauta; Giuseppe Ru; Marion Simmons; Panagiotis Skandamis; Elisabetta Suffredini; Héctor Argüello; Thomas Berendonk; Lina Maria Cavaco; William Gaze; Heike Schmitt; Ed Topp; Beatriz Guerra; Ernesto Liébana; Pietro Stella; Luisa Peixe Journal: EFSA J Date: 2021-06-17