Scientific Opinion
SCIENTIFIC OPINION ADOPTED: 29 April 2021 doi: 10.2903/j.efsa.2021.6651 Role played by the environment in the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through the food chain EFSA Panel on Biological Hazards (BIOHAZ), Konstantinos Koutsoumanis, Ana Allende, Avelino Alvarez-Ord onez,~ Declan Bolton, Sara Bover-Cid, Marianne Chemaly, Robert Davies, Alessandra De Cesare, Lieve Herman, Friederike Hilbert, Roland Lindqvist, Maarten Nauta, Giuseppe Ru, Marion Simmons, Panagiotis Skandamis, Elisabetta Suffredini, Hector Arguello,€ Thomas Berendonk, Lina Maria Cavaco, William Gaze, Heike Schmitt, Ed Topp, Beatriz Guerra, Ernesto Liebana, Pietro Stella and Luisa Peixe Abstract The role of food-producing environments in the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in EU plant-based food production, terrestrial animals (poultry, cattle and pigs) and aquaculture was assessed. Among the various sources and transmission routes identified, fertilisers of faecal origin, irrigation and surface water for plant-based food and water for aquaculture were considered of major importance. For terrestrial animal production, potential sources consist of feed, humans, water, air/dust, soil, wildlife, rodents, arthropods and equipment. Among those, evidence was found for introduction with feed and humans, for the other sources, the importance could not be assessed. Several ARB of highest priority for public health, such as carbapenem or extended-spectrum cephalosporin and/or fluoroquinolone-resistant Enterobacterales (including Salmonella enterica), fluoroquinolone-resistant Campylobacter spp., methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and glycopeptide-resistant Enterococcus faecium and E. faecalis were identified. Among highest priority ARGs blaCTX-M, blaVIM, blaNDM, blaOXA-48- like, blaOXA-23, mcr, armA, vanA, cfr and optrA were reported. These highest priority bacteria and genes were identified in different sources, at primary and post-harvest level, particularly faeces/manure, soil and water.
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