Data-Indicating Transfer of Antimicrobial-Resistance Genes from Food to Humans

Foodborne pathogens cause hundreds of illnesses and become an urgent issue for food safety, as those pathogens are becoming increasingly resistant to commonly used antimicrobials. These pathogens, equipped by antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes, can be passed from livestock to humans. It is thus important to investigate the trend of the gene transfer between livestock and humans over time. Fortunately, the NCBI Pathogen Detection Isolates Browser Database contains the AMR gene information for isolates from both clinical and environment settings. This work conducts the first multivariate statistical analysis of the antimicrobial genes and pathogens detected in the clinical and environmental samples in the US from 2013 to 2018. The data analysis indicated that antimicrobial-resistance usually begins in environmental settings and spreads to humans through contact with infected meat, specifically poultry. It was also found that Acinetobacter baumannii, E. Coli and Shigella, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Salmonella enterica were the most resistant pathogens with Salmonella enterica and E. Coli and Shigella being the main spreaders of resistance genes. Additionally, the genes fosA, oqxB, ble, floR, fosA7, mcr-9.1, aadA1, aadA2, ant(2’’)-Ia, aph(3’’)-Ib, aph(3’)-Ia, aph(6)-Id, blaTEM-1, qacEdelta1, sul1, sul2, tet(A), and tet(B) exhibited the most antimicrobial-resistance. On the other hand, tetracycline, ceftriaxone, streptomycin, and aztreonam were the antimicrobials to which both foodborne and clinical pathogens were most resistant to. The results of this study may lead to improved foodborne illness prevention regulations and policies that help lower antimicrobial-resistance in pathogens.