17 - Antibiotics in the food supply Flashcards
(42 cards)
where are antimicrobials applied?
- human medicine
- agricultural production
- food processing
where are most antimicrobials used?
- agriculture (80% in canada)
antibiotics used in food-producing animals help select for the presence of _____ and _____
antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs); antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARBs)
when ARGs and ARBs mix with environmental ARGs and ARBs, what can potentially happen?
can select to increase antimicrobial resistance
expand AMR
antimicrobial resistance
describe AMR
decreased susceptibility of microbes to a broad spectrum of single or multiple antibiotics
antibiotics can be classified into what 2 categories?
bactericidal, bacteriostatic
define bactericidal
- kills bacteria
- targets cell structures (biosynth of cell wall or DNA)
what are some examples of bactericidal antibiotics?
- B-lactam family
- aminoglycosides
- quinolones
define bacteriostatic
- inhibit further growth
- target protein synth
what are some examples of bacteriostatic antibiotics?
- macrolides
- telithromycin
- sulfonamides
- tetracycline
what’s the purpose of antimicrobials in food production?
- treat infected animals
- prevent onset of infection
- promote growth
what interesting thing did Denmark do in Nahyeon’s birth year? (1997)
banned total use of antibiotics (saw desirable results for enterococcus faecium resistance)
true or false: organic products can use antimircobials
false
is prevalence of pathogenic bacteria higher in organic products?
yes, for salmonella, toxoplasma, and campylobacter
what antimicrobials are used on plants?
- oxytetracycline
- streptomycin
what antimicrobials are used for aquaculture in the US?
- sulfadimethoxine
- ormetoprim
- sulfamerazine
- oxytetracycline
true or false: foreign agricultural commodities are tightly monitored
false - apparently not. use of imported seafood is a common reason for seizure
can the food chain affect AMR infections in humans?
there’s 2 schools of thought:
- yes: AMR foodborne pathogens are common; AMR genepool in food must be very high; it’s very likely humans are being continuously exposed to AMR genes through food chain
- no: the actual number of pathogens in foods is very small; the actual number of AMR pathogens in food is even smaller; can ARGs really move to organisms in the GI tract?
how can ARGs be transmitted?
vertical or horizontal gene transmission
mutated and acquired AR genes are spread via….
vertical transmission to offspring
what causes mutations?
errors in DNA synthesis, chemical change induced by mutagens, or incorrect repair of damage induced single strand breaks
antibiotic usage appears to be (increasing/decreasing) rate of mutation overall
increasing
what is vertical gene transfer?
transfer of genetic information, including any genetic mutations, from a parent to its offspring.
