Natural immunity in conventionally and organically reared turkeys and its relation with antimicrobial resistance
Suboptimal animal welfare may affect natural immunity, rendering animals more susceptible to environmentally conditioned diseases, including those requiring antimicrobial treatment, which may promote antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacterial populations. Herewith, we tested the hypothesis that con...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2020-02-01
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| Series: | Poultry Science |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579119441862 |
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| author | Lapo Mughini-Gras Guido Di Martino Livia Moscati Filippo Buniolo Veronica Cibin Lebana Bonfanti |
| author_facet | Lapo Mughini-Gras Guido Di Martino Livia Moscati Filippo Buniolo Veronica Cibin Lebana Bonfanti |
| author_sort | Lapo Mughini-Gras |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Suboptimal animal welfare may affect natural immunity, rendering animals more susceptible to environmentally conditioned diseases, including those requiring antimicrobial treatment, which may promote antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacterial populations. Herewith, we tested the hypothesis that conventionally raised turkeys have higher levels of AMR in indicator Escherichia coli bacteria, but lower levels of natural immunity, as compared to turkeys reared under organic conditions. Litter and serum samples were collected from 28 conventional and 4 organic turkey farms: E. coli isolates from litter were tested for resistance to 14 antimicrobials, while 3 parameters of natural immunity (i.e., lysozyme, hemolytic complement levels, and serum bactericidal activity) were assessed in the sera. Resistant E. coli isolates were identified in both conventional and organic farms but generally more frequently in conventional farms. High rates of resistance to ampicillin (96%), tetracycline (95%), streptomycin (82%), sulfamethoxazole (80%), ciprofloxacin (73%), and trimethoprim (71%), as well as high rates of multiresistance, were observed in conventional farms. Organically raised turkeys had significantly higher levels of lysozyme and serum bactericidal activity than conventional turkeys, and these levels were also higher in turkeys housed in farms where AMR frequency was lower. Findings support the hypothesis that conventional farming conditions may affect turkeys' natural immunity, rendering the animals more susceptible to environmentally conditioned diseases requiring antimicrobial treatment, which would in turn promote AMR. Reducing AMR in turkey farming is therefore more likely to be successful when considering animal welfare as an option to reduce the need of antimicrobial use. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T03:23:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1be79c3311ce4cd6bb30e2de5d1fcf3b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0032-5791 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T03:23:47Z |
| publishDate | 2020-02-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Poultry Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-1be79c3311ce4cd6bb30e2de5d1fcf3b2022-12-21T19:17:38ZengElsevierPoultry Science0032-57912020-02-01992763771Natural immunity in conventionally and organically reared turkeys and its relation with antimicrobial resistanceLapo Mughini-Gras0Guido Di Martino1Livia Moscati2Filippo Buniolo3Veronica Cibin4Lebana Bonfanti5National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands; Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, the NetherlandsIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Italy; Corresponding author:Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Umbria e le Marche, Perugia, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, ItalySuboptimal animal welfare may affect natural immunity, rendering animals more susceptible to environmentally conditioned diseases, including those requiring antimicrobial treatment, which may promote antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacterial populations. Herewith, we tested the hypothesis that conventionally raised turkeys have higher levels of AMR in indicator Escherichia coli bacteria, but lower levels of natural immunity, as compared to turkeys reared under organic conditions. Litter and serum samples were collected from 28 conventional and 4 organic turkey farms: E. coli isolates from litter were tested for resistance to 14 antimicrobials, while 3 parameters of natural immunity (i.e., lysozyme, hemolytic complement levels, and serum bactericidal activity) were assessed in the sera. Resistant E. coli isolates were identified in both conventional and organic farms but generally more frequently in conventional farms. High rates of resistance to ampicillin (96%), tetracycline (95%), streptomycin (82%), sulfamethoxazole (80%), ciprofloxacin (73%), and trimethoprim (71%), as well as high rates of multiresistance, were observed in conventional farms. Organically raised turkeys had significantly higher levels of lysozyme and serum bactericidal activity than conventional turkeys, and these levels were also higher in turkeys housed in farms where AMR frequency was lower. Findings support the hypothesis that conventional farming conditions may affect turkeys' natural immunity, rendering the animals more susceptible to environmentally conditioned diseases requiring antimicrobial treatment, which would in turn promote AMR. Reducing AMR in turkey farming is therefore more likely to be successful when considering animal welfare as an option to reduce the need of antimicrobial use.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579119441862antimicrobial resistancenatural immunityTurkeyorganic farmingintensive farming |
| spellingShingle | Lapo Mughini-Gras Guido Di Martino Livia Moscati Filippo Buniolo Veronica Cibin Lebana Bonfanti Natural immunity in conventionally and organically reared turkeys and its relation with antimicrobial resistance Poultry Science antimicrobial resistance natural immunity Turkey organic farming intensive farming |
| title | Natural immunity in conventionally and organically reared turkeys and its relation with antimicrobial resistance |
| title_full | Natural immunity in conventionally and organically reared turkeys and its relation with antimicrobial resistance |
| title_fullStr | Natural immunity in conventionally and organically reared turkeys and its relation with antimicrobial resistance |
| title_full_unstemmed | Natural immunity in conventionally and organically reared turkeys and its relation with antimicrobial resistance |
| title_short | Natural immunity in conventionally and organically reared turkeys and its relation with antimicrobial resistance |
| title_sort | natural immunity in conventionally and organically reared turkeys and its relation with antimicrobial resistance |
| topic | antimicrobial resistance natural immunity Turkey organic farming intensive farming |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579119441862 |
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