Kalpana Pachillu, Yasobant Sandul, Saxena Deepak, Schreiber Christiane
Center for Development Research (ZEF), University of Bonn, 53113 Bonn, Germany.
Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Bonn, 53113 Bonn, Germany.
Microorganisms. 2024 Nov 8;12(11):2267. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms12112267.
Fresh produce prone to microbial contamination is a potential reservoir for antimicrobial-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), posing challenges to food safety and public health. This systematic review aims to comprehensively assess the prevalence of bacterial pathogens and the incidence of ARB/ARGs in fresh produce and agro-ecosystems across South Asia. Twenty-two relevant studies published between 2012 and 2022 from three major scientific databases and the grey literature were identified. The results revealed a wide occurrence of microbial contamination in various types of fresh produce across South Asia, with a predominance of (16/22), spp. (13/22), spp. (5/22), and spp. (4/22). The agro-ecosystem serves as a complex interface for microbial interactions; studies have reported the prevalence of (1/4), spp. (1/4) and (1/4) in farm environment samples. A concerning prevalence of ARB has been reported, with resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics. The presence of ARGs in fresh produce underscores the potential for gene transfer and the emergence of resistant pathogens. To conclude, our review provides insights into the requirements of enhanced surveillance, collaborative efforts, implementation of good agricultural practices, and public awareness for food safety and safeguarding public health in the region.
易受微生物污染的新鲜农产品是抗微生物药物耐药菌（ARB）和抗微生物药物耐药基因（ARG）的潜在储存库，对食品安全和公众健康构成挑战。本系统综述旨在全面评估南亚新鲜农产品和农业生态系统中细菌病原体的流行情况以及ARB/ARG的发生率。从三个主要科学数据库和灰色文献中检索到了2012年至2022年间发表的22项相关研究。结果显示，南亚各类新鲜农产品中微生物污染普遍存在，其中（16/22）、 spp.（13/22）、 spp.（5/22）和 spp.（4/22）占主导地位。农业生态系统是微生物相互作用的复杂界面；研究报告了农场环境样本中（1/4）、 spp.（1/4）和（1/4）的流行情况。已报告ARB的流行情况令人担忧，对多种类抗生素具有耐药性。新鲜农产品中ARG的存在突出了基因转移的可能性以及耐药病原体的出现。总之，我们的综述为该地区加强监测、合作努力、实施良好农业规范以及提高公众食品安全和保障公众健康意识的要求提供了见解。
