Kerek Ádám, Román István László, Szabó Ábel, Papp Márton, Bányai Krisztián, Kardos Gábor, Kaszab Eszter, Bali Krisztina, Makrai László, Jerzsele Ákos
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine, István utca 2, H-1078 Budapest, Hungary.
National Laboratory of Infectious Animal Diseases, Antimicrobial Resistance, Veterinary Public Health and Food Chain Safety, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, H-1078 Budapest, Hungary.
Animals (Basel). 2024 Jun 29;14(13):1927. doi: 10.3390/ani14131927.
Probiotics are widely used in broiler chickens to support the gut microbiome, gut health, and to reduce the amount of antibiotics used. Despite their benefits, there is concern over their ability to carry and spread antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), posing a significant public health risk. This study utilized next-generation sequencing to investigate ARGs in probiotics approved for poultry, focusing on their potential to be transferred via mobile genetic elements such as plasmids and phages. We examined the gut microbiome and resistome changes in 60 broiler chickens over their rearing period, correlating these changes with different probiotic treatments. Specific resistance mechanisms against critically important antibiotics were identified, including genes related to fluoroquinolone resistance and peptide antibiotic resistance. We also found genes with significant relevance to public health (, ) and multiple drug-resistance genes (, , , , , ). Only one phage-encoded gene () was detected, with no evidence of plasmid or mobile genetic element transmission. Additionally, metagenomic analysis of fecal samples showed no significant changes corresponding to time or diet across groups. Our findings highlight the potential risks associated with the use of probiotics in poultry, particularly regarding the carriage of ARGs. It is crucial to conduct further research into the molecular genetics of probiotics to develop strategies that mitigate the risk of resistance gene transfer in agriculture, ensuring the safe and effective use of probiotics in animal husbandry.
益生菌被广泛应用于肉鸡养殖中，以维持肠道微生物群、促进肠道健康并减少抗生素的使用量。尽管益生菌有诸多益处，但人们担心它们携带和传播抗菌抗性基因（ARGs）的能力，这对公众健康构成了重大风险。本研究利用下一代测序技术调查了批准用于家禽的益生菌中的ARGs，重点关注其通过质粒和噬菌体等移动遗传元件进行转移的可能性。我们研究了60只肉鸡在整个饲养期内的肠道微生物群和抗性组变化，并将这些变化与不同的益生菌处理方法相关联。确定了针对极其重要抗生素的特定抗性机制，包括与氟喹诺酮抗性和肽类抗生素抗性相关的基因。我们还发现了与公众健康有显著相关性的基因（，）以及多种耐药基因（，，，，，）。仅检测到一个噬菌体编码基因（），没有质粒或移动遗传元件传播的证据。此外，粪便样本的宏基因组分析表明，各实验组之间没有随时间或饮食出现显著变化。我们的研究结果凸显了在家禽养殖中使用益生菌所带来的潜在风险，尤其是关于ARGs的携带问题。有必要对益生菌的分子遗传学进行进一步研究，以制定减轻农业中抗性基因转移风险的策略，确保益生菌在畜牧业中的安全有效使用。
