Antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli in semi-intensive and free-range poultry farms in Uganda
Irene Mbatidde,
Dickson Ndoboli,
Dreck Ayebare,
Dishon Muloi,
Kristina Roesel,
Linnet Ochieng,
Michel Dione,
Bernd-Alois Tenhagen,
Savino Biryomumaisho,
Eddie Wampande,
Barbara Wieland,
John Elmerdahl Olsen,
Arshnee Moodley
Affiliations
Irene Mbatidde
International Livestock Research Institute, Kampala, Uganda; National Agricultural Research Organization, Mbarara, Uganda
Dickson Ndoboli
International Livestock Research Institute, Kampala, Uganda
Dreck Ayebare
International Livestock Research Institute, Kampala, Uganda
Dishon Muloi
International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya; Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
Kristina Roesel
International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
Linnet Ochieng
International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
Michel Dione
International Livestock Research Institute, Dakar, Senegal
Bernd-Alois Tenhagen
Federal Institute for Risk assessment, Berlin, Germany
Savino Biryomumaisho
Department of Veterinary Pharmacy, Clinical and Comparative Medicine, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
Eddie Wampande
Department of Veterinary Pharmacy, Clinical and Comparative Medicine, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
Barbara Wieland
Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern, Switzerland; Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
John Elmerdahl Olsen
Department of Veterinary and Animal sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
Arshnee Moodley
International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya; Department of Veterinary and Animal sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Corresponding author at: University of Copenhagen, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
Livestock associated antimicrobial resistance (AMR) can reduce productivity and cause economic losses, threatening the livelihoods of poor farming communities in low-income settings. We investigated the practices and risk factors for increased antibiotic use, and AMR in Escherichia coli including resistance to human critically important antibiotics like cefotaxime and colistin in semi-intensive and free-range poultry farms in Uganda. Samples and farm management data were collected from 402 poultry farms in two districts between October 2021 to March 2022. Samples were processed to isolate E. coli and to quantify cefotaxime (CTX) and colistin (COL) resistant coliforms. The identification of presumptive E. coli isolated on MacConkey agar without antibiotics, was confirmed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry and subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing by disk diffusion using EUCAST guidelines. Our models indicated that antibiotic use was associated with production intensity, and type of feed used. Moreover, semi-intensive farmers had better knowledge on antibiotic use compared to farmers in the free-range system. In semi-intensive farms, 52% harbored COLR and 57% CTXR coliforms. In free-range farms, 54% had COLR and 67% CTXR coliforms. Resistance to tetracycline, ampicillin and enrofloxacin were more frequent in semi-intensive farms compared to the free-range farms. Multi-drug resistant E. coli were identified in both poultry production systems despite different management and antibiotic use practices. There was no significant relationship between antibiotic use and resistance for the six antibiotics tested.
