August 22, 2023

 

University of Nottingham study proposes big data and AI for livestock antimicrobial resistance surveillance

 

A recent study conducted by the University of Nottingham has highlighted the potential benefits of leveraging big data and machine learning in the surveillance of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) within livestock production methods, which could lead to better-informed interventions and enhanced protection against pathogens that are developing resistance to antibiotics, EurekAlert reported.

 

Over a span of two and a half years, researchers at the University of Nottingham meticulously examined microbiomes present in chickens, carcasses, and environments. The study's outcomes revealed an intricate network of correlations among livestock, environments, microbial communities, and antimicrobial resistance. These insights suggest multiple avenues for the enhancement of AMR surveillance in livestock production.

 

The research, spearheaded by Dr Tania Dottorini, a professor of bioinformatics, adopted a data-mining strategy based on machine learning. The study was conducted across ten large-scale chicken farms and four interconnected abattoirs spanning three provinces in China, a nation that is among the largest consumers of antimicrobials. The use of antimicrobials to prevent and treat infections in livestock production has been associated with the surge in antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) infections.

 

The findings, documented in the journal Nature Food, pinpointed several antimicrobial-resistant genes (ARGs) that were shared between chickens and their respective farm environments. These genes possess the potential for high transmissibility.

 

The study unveiled a core subset of the chicken gut microbiome, housing clinically significant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes. This subset displayed correlations with the antimicrobial resistance profiles of E coli bacteria found in the gut. Remarkably, this core group, which features highly transmissible ARGs shared by both chickens and their environments, is influenced by environmental factors such as temperature and humidity, and it correlates with antimicrobial usage.

 

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) stands as one of the foremost global public health threats, as recognised by the World Health Organisation. AMR poses a serious challenge to the effective prevention and treatment of a broad range of infections caused by bacteria, parasites, viruses, and fungi.

 

Around the world, approximately 600 million instances of foodborne diseases result in roughly 420,000 deaths each year. Within this, nearly 300 million illnesses and 200,000 fatalities are attributed to diarrheagenic E coli infections.

 

In many nations, chickens are raised in shelters that lack effective climate control systems, leading to significant variations in temperature and humidity. The study findings underscore the correlation between the core features of the gut microbial community and resistome, the collection of antibiotic resistance genes, and changes in temperature and humidity in chicken housing.

 

The connections between environmental variables and the species and genes linked with AMR offer potential avenues for the development of innovative AMR monitoring solutions. This holds particular promise for low-middle-income countries where such variables remain uncontrolled, posing risks to exposed animals.

 

Dr Dottorini said that the spread of antimicrobial-resistant microorganisms and AMR across humans, animals, the environment, and the food interface is a critical global concern. She stressed that AMR transmission can occur through various routes, including the food chain.

 

Dr Dottorini said that the study's methodologies could be instrumental in associating a wide range of microbial species and genes with observable AMR, paving the way for a more comprehensive understanding and control of AMR spread. She expressed readiness to invest in new AI-powered AMR surveillance methods.

 

These approaches are expected to identify the drivers and mechanisms responsible for the emergence and dissemination of AMR across animals, the environment, humans, and food, which could lead to new advancements.

 

-      EurekAlert