Transmission of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) during animal transport
Author
EFSA Panel on Biological Hazards (BIOHAZ)
Koutsoumanis, Konstantinos
Allende, Ana
Álvarez-Ordóñez, Avelino
Bolton, Declan
Chemaly, Marianne
Davies, Robert
De Cesare, Alessandra
Herman, Lieve
Hilbert, Friederike
Lindqvist, Roland
Nauta, Maarten
Ru, Giuseppe
Simmons, Marion
Skandamis, Panagiotis
Suffredini, Elisabetta
Argüello-Rodríguez, Héctor
Dohmen, Wietske
Francesca Magistrali, Chiara
Padalino, Barbara
Tenhagen, Bernd-Alois
Threlfall, John
García-Fierro, Raquel
Guerra, Beatriz
Liébana, Ernesto
Stella, Pietro
Peixe, Luisa
Publication date
2022-10-25ISSN
1831-4732
Abstract
The transmission of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) between food-producing animals (poultry, cattle and pigs) during short journeys (< 8 h) and long journeys (> 8 h) directed to other farms or to the slaughterhouse lairage (directly or with intermediate stops at assembly centres or control posts, mainly transported by road) was assessed. Among the identified risk factors contributing to the probability of transmission of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), the ones considered more important are the resistance status (presence of ARB/ARGs) of the animals pre-transport, increased faecal shedding, hygiene of the areas and vehicles, exposure to other animals carrying and/or shedding ARB/ARGs (especially between animals of different AMR loads and/or ARB/ARG types), exposure to contaminated lairage areas and duration of transport. There are nevertheless no data whereby differences between journeys shorter or longer than 8 h can be assessed. Strategies that would reduce the probability of AMR transmission, for all animal categories include minimising the duration of transport, proper cleaning and disinfection, appropriate transport planning, organising the transport in relation to AMR criteria (transport logistics), improving animal health and welfare and/or biosecurity immediately prior to and during transport, ensuring the thermal comfort of the animals and animal segregation. Most of the aforementioned measures have similar validity if applied at lairage, assembly centres and control posts. Data gaps relating to the risk factors and the effectiveness of mitigation measures have been identified, with consequent research needs in both the short and longer term listed. Quantification of the impact of animal transportation compared to the contribution of other stages of the food-production chain, and the interplay of duration with all risk factors on the transmission of ARB/ARGs during transport and journey breaks, were identified as urgent research needs.
Document Type
Article
Document version
Published version
Language
English
Subject (CDU)
663/664 - Food and nutrition. Enology. Oils. Fat
Pages
83
Publisher
Wiley Open Access
Is part of
EFSA Journal
Citation
Koutsoumanis, Konstantinos, Ana Allende, Avelino Alvarez‐Ordóñez, Declan Bolton, Sara Bover‐Cid, Marianne Chemaly, and Robert Davies et al. 2022. "Transmission of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) during animal transport". EFSA Journal 20 (10). doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2022.7586.
Program
Funcionalitat i Seguretat Alimentària
This item appears in the following Collection(s)
- ARTICLES CIENTÍFICS [2646]
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