# | Rank | Similarity | Title + Abs. | Year | PMID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 3971 | 0 | 1.0000 | Monitoring and identifying antibiotic resistance mechanisms in bacteria. Sub-therapeutic administration of antibiotics to animals is under intense scrutiny because they contribute to the dissemination of antibiotic-resistant bacteria into the food chain. Studies suggest that there is a link between the agricultural use of antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant human infections. Antibiotic-resistant organisms from animal and human wastes reenter the human and animal populations through a number of pathways including natural waters, irrigation water, drinking water, and vegetables and foods. Antibiotic usage in the United States for animal production (disease prevention and growth promotion) is estimated to be 18 million pounds annually. As much as 25 to 75% of the antibiotics administered to feedlot animals are excreted unaltered in feces. Because about 180 million dry tons of livestock and poultry waste is generated annually in the United States, it is not surprising that animal-derived antibiotic-resistant organisms are found contaminating groundwater, surface water, and food crops. It is extremely important to clearly understand the molecular mechanisms that could potentially cause lateral or horizontal gene transfer of antibiotic resistance genes among bacteria. Once the mechanisms and magnitude of resistance gene transfer are clearly understood and quantified, strategies can be instituted to reduce the potential for dissemination of these genes. | 2003 | 12710483 |
| 4188 | 1 | 0.9999 | Use of antimicrobial agents in aquaculture. The aquaculture industry has grown dramatically, and plays an important role in the world's food supply chain. Antimicrobial resistance in bacteria associated with food animals receives much attention, and drug use in aquaculture is also an important issue. There are many differences between aquatic and terrestrial management systems, such as the methods used for administration of drugs. Unique problems are related to the application of drugs in aquatic environments. Residual drugs in fish products can affect people who consume them, and antimicrobials released into aquatic environments can select for resistant bacteria. Moreover, these antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, or their resistance genes, can be transferred to humans. To decrease the risks associated with the use of antimicrobials, various regulations have been developed. In addition, it is necessary to prevent bacterial diseases in aquatic animals by vaccination, to improve culture systems, and to monitor the amount of antimicrobial drugs used and the prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. | 2012 | 22849275 |
| 4053 | 2 | 0.9999 | Evidence for the circulation of antimicrobial-resistant strains and genes in nature and especially between humans and animals. The concern over antibiotic-resistant bacteria producing human infections that are difficult to treat has led to a proliferation of studies in recent years investigating resistance in livestock, food products, the environment and people, as well as in the mechanisms of transfer of the genetic elements of resistance between bacteria, and the routes, or risk pathways, by which the spread of resistance might occur. The possibility of transfer of resistant genetic elements between bacteria in mixed populations adds many additional and complex potential routes of spread. There is now considerable evidence that transfer of antimicrobial resistance from food-producing animals to humans directly via the food chain is a likely route of spread. The application of animal wastes to farmland and subsequent leaching into watercourses has also been shown to lead to many potential, but less well-documented, pathways for spread. Often, however, where contamination of water sources, processed foods, and other environmental sites is concerned, specific routes of circulation are unclear and may well involve human sources of contamination. Examination of water sources in particular may be difficult due to dilution and their natural flow. Also, as meat is comparatively easy to examine, and is frequently suspected of being a source of spread, there is some bias in favour of studying this vehicle. Such complexities mean that, with the evidence currently available, it is not possible to prioritise the importance of potential risk pathways and circulation routes. | 2012 | 22849279 |
| 4189 | 3 | 0.9999 | Antimicrobial resistance at farm level. Bacteria that are resistant to antimicrobials are widespread. This article reviews the distribution of resistant bacteria in farm environments. Humans, animals, and environmental sites are all reservoirs of bacterial communities that contain some bacteria that are susceptible to antimicrobials and others that are resistant. Farm ecosystems provide an environment in which resistant bacteria and genes can emerge, amplify and spread. Dissemination occurs via the food chain and via several other pathways. Ecological, epidemiological, molecular and mathematical approaches are being used to study the origin and expansion of the resistance problem and its relationship to antibiotic usage. The prudent and responsible use of antibiotics is an essential part of an ethical approach to improving animal health and food safety. The responsible use of antibiotics during research is vital, but to fully contribute to the containment of antimicrobial resistance 'prudent use' must also be part of good management practices at all levels of farm life. | 2006 | 17094710 |
| 4190 | 4 | 0.9999 | Insects represent a link between food animal farms and the urban environment for antibiotic resistance traits. Antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections result in higher patient mortality rates, prolonged hospitalizations, and increased health care costs. Extensive use of antibiotics as growth promoters in the animal industry represents great pressure for evolution and selection of antibiotic-resistant bacteria on farms. Despite growing evidence showing that antibiotic use and bacterial resistance in food animals correlate with resistance in human pathogens, the proof for direct transmission of antibiotic resistance is difficult to provide. In this review, we make a case that insects commonly associated with food animals likely represent a direct and important link between animal farms and urban communities for antibiotic resistance traits. Houseflies and cockroaches have been shown to carry multidrug-resistant clonal lineages of bacteria identical to those found in animal manure. Furthermore, several studies have demonstrated proliferation of bacteria and horizontal transfer of resistance genes in the insect digestive tract as well as transmission of resistant bacteria by insects to new substrates. We propose that insect management should be an integral part of pre- and postharvest food safety strategies to minimize spread of zoonotic pathogens and antibiotic resistance traits from animal farms. Furthermore, the insect link between the agricultural and urban environment presents an additional argument for adopting prudent use of antibiotics in the food animal industry. | 2014 | 24705326 |
| 3994 | 5 | 0.9999 | Environmental Biofilms as Reservoirs for Antimicrobial Resistance. Characterizing the response of microbial communities to a range of antibiotic concentrations is one of the strategies used to understand the impact of antibiotic resistance. Many studies have described the occurrence and prevalence of antibiotic resistance in microbial communities from reservoirs such as hospitals, sewage, and farm feedlots, where bacteria are often exposed to high and/or constant concentrations of antibiotics. Outside of these sources, antibiotics generally occur at lower, sub-minimum inhibitory concentrations (sub-MICs). The constant exposure to low concentrations of antibiotics may serve as a chemical "cue" that drives development of antibiotic resistance. Low concentrations of antibiotics have not yet been broadly described in reservoirs outside of the aforementioned environments, nor is the transfer and dissemination of antibiotic resistant bacteria and genes within natural microbial communities fully understood. This review will thus focus on low antibiotic-concentration environmental reservoirs and mechanisms that are important in the dissemination of antibiotic resistance to help identify key knowledge gaps concerning the environmental resistome. | 2021 | 34970233 |
| 4123 | 6 | 0.9999 | The Invisible Threat of Antibiotic Resistance in Food. The continued and improper use of antibiotics has resulted in the emergence of antibiotic resistance (AR). The dissemination of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms occurs via a multitude of pathways, including the food supply. The failure to comply with the regulatory withdrawal period associated with the treatment of domestic animals or the illicit use of antibiotics as growth promoters has contributed to the proliferation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in meat and dairy products. It was demonstrated that not only do animal and human pathogens act as donors of antibiotic resistance genes, but also that lactic acid bacteria can serve as reservoirs of genes encoding for antibiotic resistance. Consequently, the consumption of fermented foods also presents a potential conduit for the dissemination of AR. This review provides an overview of the potential for the transmission of antibiotic resistance in a range of traditional and novel foods. The literature data reveal that foodborne microbes can be a significant factor in the dissemination of antibiotic resistance. | 2025 | 40149061 |
| 3993 | 7 | 0.9999 | Environmental dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes and correlation to anthropogenic contamination with antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem which threatens modern healthcare globally. Resistance has traditionally been viewed as a clinical problem, but recently non-clinical environments have been highlighted as an important factor in the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) events are likely to be common in aquatic environments; integrons in particular are well suited for mediating environmental dissemination of ARGs. A growing body of evidence suggests that ARGs are ubiquitous in natural environments. Particularly, elevated levels of ARGs and integrons in aquatic environments are correlated to proximity to anthropogenic activities. The source of this increase is likely to be routine discharge of antibiotics and resistance genes, for example, via wastewater or run-off from livestock facilities and agriculture. While very high levels of antibiotic contamination are likely to select for resistant bacteria directly, the role of sub-inhibitory concentrations of antibiotics in environmental antibiotic resistance dissemination remains unclear. In vitro studies have shown that low levels of antibiotics can select for resistant mutants and also facilitate HGT, indicating the need for caution. Overall, it is becoming increasingly clear that the environment plays an important role in dissemination of antibiotic resistance; further studies are needed to elucidate key aspects of this process. Importantly, the levels of environmental antibiotic contamination at which resistant bacteria are selected for and HGT is facilitated at should be determined. This would enable better risk analyses and facilitate measures for preventing dissemination and development of antibiotic resistance in the environment. | 2015 | 26356096 |
| 3990 | 8 | 0.9999 | Environmental pollution by antibiotics and by antibiotic resistance determinants. Antibiotics are among the most successful drugs used for human therapy. However, since they can challenge microbial populations, they must be considered as important pollutants as well. Besides being used for human therapy, antibiotics are extensively used for animal farming and for agricultural purposes. Residues from human environments and from farms may contain antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes that can contaminate natural environments. The clearest consequence of antibiotic release in natural environments is the selection of resistant bacteria. The same resistance genes found at clinical settings are currently disseminated among pristine ecosystems without any record of antibiotic contamination. Nevertheless, the effect of antibiotics on the biosphere is wider than this and can impact the structure and activity of environmental microbiota. Along the article, we review the impact that pollution by antibiotics or by antibiotic resistance genes may have for both human health and for the evolution of environmental microbial populations. | 2009 | 19560847 |
| 4055 | 9 | 0.9999 | Antimicrobial use in aquaculture re-examined: its relevance to antimicrobial resistance and to animal and human health. The worldwide growth of aquaculture has been accompanied by a rapid increase in therapeutic and prophylactic usage of antimicrobials including those important in human therapeutics. Approximately 80% of antimicrobials used in aquaculture enter the environment with their activity intact where they select for bacteria whose resistance arises from mutations or more importantly, from mobile genetic elements containing multiple resistance determinants transmissible to other bacteria. Such selection alters biodiversity in aquatic environments and the normal flora of fish and shellfish. The commonality of the mobilome (the total of all mobile genetic elements in a genome) between aquatic and terrestrial bacteria together with the presence of residual antimicrobials, biofilms, and high concentrations of bacteriophages where the aquatic environment may also be contaminated with pathogens of human and animal origin can stimulate exchange of genetic information between aquatic and terrestrial bacteria. Several recently found genetic elements and resistance determinants for quinolones, tetracyclines, and β-lactamases are shared between aquatic bacteria, fish pathogens, and human pathogens, and appear to have originated in aquatic bacteria. Excessive use of antimicrobials in aquaculture can thus potentially negatively impact animal and human health as well as the aquatic environment and should be better assessed and regulated. | 2013 | 23711078 |
| 3970 | 10 | 0.9999 | Antibiotics, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and resistance genes in aquaculture: risks, current concern, and future thinking. Aquaculture is remarkably one of the most promising industries among the food-producing industries in the world. Aquaculture production as well as fish consumption per capita have been dramatically increasing over the past two decades. Shifting of culture method from semi-intensive to intensive technique and applying of antibiotics to control the disease outbreak are the major factors for the increasing trend of aquaculture production. Antibiotics are usually present at subtherapeutic levels in the aquaculture environment, which increases the selective pressure to the resistant bacteria and stimulates resistant gene transfer in the aquatic environment. It is now widely documented that antibiotic resistance genes and resistant bacteria are transported from the aquatic environment to the terrestrial environment and may pose adverse effects on human and animal health. However, data related to antibiotic usage and bacterial resistance in aquaculture is very limited or even absent in major aquaculture-producing countries. In particular, residual levels of antibiotics in fish and shellfish are not well documented. Recently, some of the countries have already decided the maximum residue levels (MRLs) of antibiotics in fish muscle or skin; however, many antibiotics are yet not to be decided. Therefore, an urgent universal effort needs to be taken to monitor antibiotic concentration and resistant bacteria particularly multiple antibiotic-resistant bacteria and to assess the associated risks in aquaculture. Finally, we suggest to take an initiative to make a uniform antibiotic registration process, to establish the MRLs for fish/shrimp and to ensure the use of only aquaculture antibiotics in fish and shellfish farming globally. | 2022 | 35028843 |
| 4095 | 11 | 0.9999 | Antimicrobial resistance: more than 70 years of war between humans and bacteria. Development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria is one of the major issues in the present world and one of the greatest threats faced by mankind. Resistance is spread through both vertical gene transfer (parent to offspring) as well as by horizontal gene transfer like transformation, transduction and conjugation. The main mechanisms of resistance are limiting uptake of a drug, modification of a drug target, inactivation of a drug, and active efflux of a drug. The highest quantities of antibiotic concentrations are usually found in areas with strong anthropogenic pressures, for example medical source (e.g., hospitals) effluents, pharmaceutical industries, wastewater influents, soils treated with manure, animal husbandry and aquaculture (where antibiotics are generally used as in-feed preparations). Hence, the strong selective pressure applied by antimicrobial use has forced microorganisms to evolve for survival. The guts of animals and humans, wastewater treatment plants, hospital and community effluents, animal husbandry and aquaculture runoffs have been designated as "hotspots for AMR genes" because the high density of bacteria, phages, and plasmids in these settings allows significant genetic exchange and recombination. Evidence from the literature suggests that the knowledge of antibiotic resistance in the population is still scarce. Tackling antimicrobial resistance requires a wide range of strategies, for example, more research in antibiotic production, the need of educating patients and the general public, as well as developing alternatives to antibiotics (briefly discussed in the conclusions of this article). | 2020 | 32954887 |
| 3992 | 12 | 0.9999 | Resistance in the environment. Antibiotics, disinfectants and bacteria resistant to them have been detected in environmental compartments such as waste water, surface water, ground water, sediments and soils. Antibiotics are released into the environment after their use in medicine, veterinary medicine and their employment as growth promoters in animal husbandry, fish farming and other fields. There is increasing concern about the growing resistance of pathogenic bacteria in the environment, and their ecotoxic effects. Increasingly, antibiotic resistance is seen as an ecological problem. This includes both the ecology of resistance genes and that of the resistant bacteria themselves. Little is known about the effects of subinhibitory concentrations of antibiotics and disinfectants on environmental bacteria, especially with respect to resistance. According to the present state of our knowledge, the impact on the frequency of resistance transfer by antibacterials present in the environment is questionable. The input of resistant bacteria into the environment seems to be an important source of resistance in the environment. The possible impact of resistant bacteria on the environment is not yet known. Further research into these issues is warranted. | 2004 | 15215223 |
| 4129 | 13 | 0.9999 | Residential Bacteria on Surfaces in the Food Industry and Their Implications for Food Safety and Quality. Surface hygiene is commonly measured as a part of the quality system of food processing plants, but as the bacteria present are commonly not identified, their roles for food quality and safety are not known. Here, we review the identity of residential bacteria and characteristics relevant for survival and growth in the food industry along with potential implications for food safety and quality. Sampling after cleaning and disinfection increases the likelihood of targeting residential bacteria. The increasing use of sequencing technologies to identify bacteria has improved knowledge about the bacteria present in food premises. Overall, nonpathogenic Gram-negative bacteria, especially Pseudomonas spp., followed by Enterobacteriaceae and Acinetobacter spp. dominate on food processing surfaces. Pseudomonas spp. persistence is likely due to growth at low temperatures, biofilm formation, tolerance to biocides, and low growth requirements. Gram-positive bacteria are most frequently found in dairies and in dry production environments. The residential bacteria may end up in the final products through cross-contamination and may affect food quality. Such effects can be negative and lead to spoilage, but the bacteria may also contribute positively, as through spontaneous fermentation. Pathogenic bacteria present in food processing environments may interact with residential bacteria, resulting in both inhibitory and stimulatory effects on pathogens in multispecies biofilms. The residential bacterial population, or bacteriota, does not seem to be an important source for the transfer of antibiotic resistance genes to humans, but more knowledge is needed to verify this. If residential bacteria occur in high numbers, they may influence processes such as membrane filtration and corrosion. | 2017 | 33371605 |
| 6555 | 14 | 0.9999 | Bacteriophages as antibiotic resistance genes carriers in agro-food systems. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are a global health concern. Antibiotic resistance occurs naturally, but misuse of antibiotics in humans and animals is accelerating the process of antibiotic resistance emergency, which has been aggravated by exposure to molecules of antibiotics present in clinical and agricultural settings and the engagement of many countries in water reuse especially in Middle East and North Africa region. Bacteriophages have the potential to be significant actors in ARGs transmission through the transduction process. These viruses have been detected along with ARGs in non impacted habitats and in anthropogenic impacted environments like wastewater, reclaimed water and manure amended soil as well as minimally processed food and ready to eat vegetables. The ubiquity of bacteriophages and their persistence in the environment raises concern about their involvement in ARGs transmission among different biomes and the generation of pathogenic-resistant bacteria that pose a great threat to human health. The aim of this review is to give an overview of the potential role of bacteriophages in the dissemination and the transfer of ARGs to pathogens in food production and processing and the consequent contribution to antibiotic resistance transmission through faecal oral route carrying ARGs to our dishes. | 2021 | 32916015 |
| 3985 | 15 | 0.9999 | The scourge of antibiotic resistance: the important role of the environment. Antibiotic resistance and associated genes are ubiquitous and ancient, with most genes that encode resistance in human pathogens having originated in bacteria from the natural environment (eg, β-lactamases and fluoroquinolones resistance genes, such as qnr). The rapid evolution and spread of "new" antibiotic resistance genes has been enhanced by modern human activity and its influence on the environmental resistome. This highlights the importance of including the role of the environmental vectors, such as bacterial genetic diversity within soil and water, in resistance risk management. We need to take more steps to decrease the spread of resistance genes in environmental bacteria into human pathogens, to decrease the spread of resistant bacteria to people and animals via foodstuffs, wastes and water, and to minimize the levels of antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria introduced into the environment. Reducing this risk must include improved management of waste containing antibiotic residues and antibiotic-resistant microorganisms. | 2013 | 23723195 |
| 6552 | 16 | 0.9998 | Antimicrobial Resistance in Rivers: A Review of the Genes Detected and New Challenges. River ecosystems are very important parts of the water cycle and an excellent habitat, food, and drinking water source for many organisms, including humans. Antibiotics are emerging contaminants which can enter rivers from various sources. Several antibiotics and their related antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) have been detected in these ecosystems by various research programs and could constitute a substantial problem. The presence of antibiotics and other resistance cofactors can boost the development of ARGs in the chromosomes or mobile genetic elements of natural bacteria in rivers. The ARGs in environmental bacteria can also be transferred to clinically important pathogens. However, antibiotics and their resistance genes are both not currently monitored by national or international authorities responsible for controlling the quality of water bodies. For example, they are not included in the contaminant list in the European Water Framework Directive or in the US list of Water-Quality Benchmarks for Contaminants. Although ARGs are naturally present in the environment, very few studies have focused on non-impacted rivers to assess the background ARG levels in rivers, which could provide some useful indications for future environmental regulation and legislation. The present study reviews the antibiotics and associated ARGs most commonly measured and detected in rivers, including the primary analysis tools used for their assessment. In addition, other factors that could enhance antibiotic resistance, such as the effects of chemical mixtures, the effects of climate change, and the potential effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, are discussed. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:687-714. © 2022 SETAC. | 2022 | 35191071 |
| 6557 | 17 | 0.9998 | Antibiotics and antibiotic resistance in water environments. Antibiotic-resistant organisms enter into water environments from human and animal sources. These bacteria are able to spread their genes into water-indigenous microbes, which also contain resistance genes. On the contrary, many antibiotics from industrial origin circulate in water environments, potentially altering microbial ecosystems. Risk assessment protocols for antibiotics and resistant bacteria in water, based on better systems for antibiotics detection and antibiotic-resistance microbial source tracking, are starting to be discussed. Methods to reduce resistant bacterial load in wastewaters, and the amount of antimicrobial agents, in most cases originated in hospitals and farms, include optimization of disinfection procedures and management of wastewater and manure. A policy for preventing mixing human-originated and animal-originated bacteria with environmental organisms seems advisable. | 2008 | 18534838 |
| 6707 | 18 | 0.9998 | Investigating the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance in the environment in Canada: a scoping review. Antimicrobial resistance is an environmental, agricultural, and public health problem that is impacting the health of humans and animals. The role of the environment as a source of and transmission pathway for antibiotic resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes is a topic of increasing interest that, to date, has received limited attention. This study aimed to describe the sources and possible pathways contributing to antimicrobial resistance dissemination through bioaerosols, water, and soil in Canada using a scoping review methodology and systems thinking approach. A systems map was created to describe the occurrence and relationships between sources and pathways for antimicrobial resistance dissemination through water, soil, and bioaerosols. The map guided the development of the scoping review protocol, specifically the keywords searched and what data were extracted from the included studies. In total, 103 studies of antimicrobial resistance in water, 67 in soil, and 12 in air were identified. Studies to detect the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes have mainly been conducted at wastewater treatment plants and commercial animal livestock facilities. We also identified elements in the systems map with little or no data available (e.g., retail) that need to be investigated further to have a better understanding of antimicrobial resistance dissemination through different Canadian environments. | 2025 | 40279669 |
| 6639 | 19 | 0.9998 | Environmental Spread of Antibiotic Resistance. Antibiotic resistance represents a global health concern. Soil, water, livestock and plant foods are directly or indirectly exposed to antibiotics due to their agricultural use or contamination. This selective pressure has acted synergistically to bacterial competition in nature to breed antibiotic-resistant (AR) bacteria. Research over the past few decades has focused on the emergence of AR pathogens in food products that can cause disease outbreaks and the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), but One Health approaches have lately expanded the focus to include commensal bacteria as ARG donors. Despite the attempts of national and international authorities of developed and developing countries to reduce the over-prescription of antibiotics to humans and the use of antibiotics as livestock growth promoters, the selective flow of antibiotic resistance transmission from the environment to the clinic (and vice-versa) is increasing. This review focuses on the mechanisms of ARG transmission and the hotspots of antibiotic contamination resulting in the subsequent emergence of ARGs. It follows the transmission of ARGs from farm to plant and animal food products and provides examples of the impact of ARG flow to clinical settings. Understudied and emerging antibiotic resistance selection determinants, such as heavy metal and biocide contamination, are also discussed here. | 2021 | 34071771 |