Skip to main content
PMC home page
Applied and Environmental Microbiology logoLink to Applied and Environmental Microbiology
. 1989 Sep;55(9):2287–2292. doi: 10.1128/aem.55.9.2287-2292.1989

Antibiotic resistance of gram-negative enteric bacteria from pigs in three herds with different histories of antibiotic exposure.

G Gellin 1, B E Langlois 1, K A Dawson 1, D K Aaron 1
PMCID: PMC203070  PMID: 2802608

Abstract

The antibiotic resistance patterns of gram-negative fecal bacteria from pigs in three herds with different histories of antibiotic exposure were examined. In general, smaller proportions of antibiotic-resistant or multiply resistant fecal isolates (P less than 0.05) were obtained from pigs in a herd not exposed to antimicrobial agents for 154 months than from pigs in a herd continuously exposed to antimicrobial agents at subtherapeutic doses or from pigs in a herd exposed only to therapeutic doses of antimicrobial agents. The proportions of antibiotic-resistant and multiply resistant strains were greater among isolates from pigs in the therapeutic herd than in the non-antibiotic-exposed herd (P less than 0.05). The proportion of antibiotic-resistant isolates in the non-lactose-fermenting population was greater than that in the lactose-fermenting population, regardless of herd. The results suggest that any form of antimicrobial exposure will increase the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance and multiple resistance of fecal bacteria.

Full text

PDF

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Dawson K. A., Langlois B. E., Stahly T. S., Cromwell G. L. Antibiotic resistance in anaerobic and coliform bacteria from the intestinal tract of swine fed therapeutic and subtherapeutic concentrations of chlortetracycline. J Anim Sci. 1984 Jan;58(1):123–131. doi: 10.2527/jas1984.581123x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Dawson K. A., Langlois B. E., Stahly T. S., Cromwell G. L. Multiple antibiotic resistance in fecal, cecal and colonic coliforms from pigs fed therapeutic and subtherapeutic concentrations of chlortetracycline. J Anim Sci. 1983 Nov;57(5):1225–1234. doi: 10.2527/jas1983.5751225x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Dawson K. A., Langlois B. E., Stahly T. S., Cromwell G. L. Some characteristics and antibiotic resistance of anaerobic bacteria from the ceca and colons of pigs fed chlortetracycline-containing and unmedicated diets. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1984 Jan;47(1):210–212. doi: 10.1128/aem.47.1.210-212.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Gaines S. A., Rollins L. D., Williams R. D., Selwyn M. Effect of penicillin and virginiamycin on drug resistance in lactose-fermenting enteric flora. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1980 Mar;17(3):428–433. doi: 10.1128/aac.17.3.428. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Guest G. B. Status of FDA's program on the use of antibiotics in animal feeds. J Anim Sci. 1976 Apr;42(4):1052–1057. doi: 10.2527/jas1976.4241052x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Langlois B. E., Cromwell G. L., Hays V. W. Influence of chlortetracycline in swine feed on reproductive performance and on incidence and persistence of antibiotic resistant enteric bacteria. J Anim Sci. 1978 May;46(5):1369–1382. doi: 10.2527/jas1978.4651369x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Langlois B. E., Cromwell G. L., Hays V. W. Influence of type of antibiotic and length of antibiotic feeding period on performance and persistence of antibiotic resistant enteric bacteria in growing-finishing swine. J Anim Sci. 1978 May;46(5):1383–1396. doi: 10.2527/jas1978.4651383x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Langlois B. E., Cromwell G. L., Stahly T. S., Dawson K. A., Hays V. W. Antibiotic resistance of fecal coliforms after long-term withdrawal of therapeutic and subtherapeutic antibiotic use in a swine herd. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1983 Dec;46(6):1433–1434. doi: 10.1128/aem.46.6.1433-1434.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Langlois B. E., Dawson K. A., Leak I., Aaron D. K. Antimicrobial resistance of fecal coliforms from pigs in a herd not exposed to antimicrobial agents for 126 months. Vet Microbiol. 1988 Oct;18(2):147–153. doi: 10.1016/0378-1135(88)90060-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Langlois B. E., Dawson K. A., Leak I., Aaron D. K. Effect of age and housing location on antibiotic resistance of fecal coliforms from pigs in a non-antibiotic-exposed herd. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1988 Jun;54(6):1341–1344. doi: 10.1128/aem.54.6.1341-1344.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Langlois B. E., Dawson K. A., Stahly T. S., Cromwell G. L. Antibiotic resistance of fecal coliforms from swine fed subtherapeutic and therapeutic levels of chlortetracycline. J Anim Sci. 1984 Mar;58(3):666–674. doi: 10.2527/jas1984.583666x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Linton A. H., Howe K., Osborne A. D. The effects of feeding tetracycline, nitrovin and quindoxin on the drug-resistance of coli-aerogenes bacteria from calves and pigs. J Appl Bacteriol. 1975 Jun;38(3):255–275. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.1975.tb00530.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Mercer H. D., Pocurull D., Gaines S., Wilson S., Bennett J. V. Characteristics of antimicrobial resistance of Escherichia coli from animals: relationship to veterinary and management uses of antimicrobial agents. Appl Microbiol. 1971 Oct;22(4):700–705. doi: 10.1128/am.22.4.700-705.1971. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Novick R. P. The development and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria as a consequence of feeding antibiotics to livestock. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1981;368:23–59. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1981.tb15430.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Siegel D., Huber W. G., Enloe F. Continuous non-therapeutic use of antibacterial drugs in feed and drug resistance of the gram-negative enteric florae of food-producing animals. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1974 Dec;6(6):697–701. doi: 10.1128/aac.6.6.697. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Smith H. W. The effect of the use of antibacterial drugs on the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria in animals. Adv Vet Sci Comp Med. 1971;15:67–100. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Smith H. W. The transfer of antibiotic resistance between strains of enterobacteria in chicken, calves and pigs. J Med Microbiol. 1970 Feb;3(1):165–180. doi: 10.1099/00222615-3-1-165. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Sogaard H. Incidence of drug resistance and transmissible R factors in strains of E. coli isolated from faeces of healthy pigs. Acta Vet Scand. 1973;14(3):381–391. doi: 10.1186/BF03547426. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Applied and Environmental Microbiology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES