Assesment and preliminary diagnosis of dissemination of antibiotic resistente genes through the food production chain in the Basque Country

The JRL on Environmental Antibiotic Resistance is a multidisciplinary team, which includes groups with different backgrounds in the field of antibiotic resistance. We work together according to the WHO’ ONE-HEALTH approach, which is particularly relevant in food safety, the control of zoonoses and combatting antibiotic resistance.

The use of antimicrobials in agriculture and stockbreeding can lead to the spread of bacteria resistant to antimicrobials, which can be transmitted to humans through the food chain. Moreover, the use of organic amendments containing residues of antibiotics as fertilizers contributes to the spread of resistance genes into the environment. However, these aspects of the problem are poorly studied. Therefore, the main objective is to gain experience in the role of the food chain in the development and dispersion of antibiotic resistance. An assessment of the inputs of antibiotics and the analysis of their residues in the agro-systems is proposed in order to get an overall view of the impact of agronomics and farmer practices in the dispersion of the antibiotic resistances, focused on two cases of the Basque Country primary sector: sheep milk-derived foods and beans and lettuce crops.

The experience acquired in this project will allow the JRL addressing large joint proposals that will favor its impact and visibility, in concordance with the objectives of the present call.