Environment International (Nov 2022)
Antimicrobial resistance in dairy slurry tanks: A critical point for measurement and control
- Michelle Baker,
- Alexander D. Williams,
- Steven P.T. Hooton,
- Richard Helliwell,
- Elizabeth King,
- Thomas Dodsworth,
- Rosa María Baena-Nogueras,
- Andrew Warry,
- Catherine A. Ortori,
- Henry Todman,
- Charlotte J. Gray-Hammerton,
- Alexander C.W. Pritchard,
- Ethan Iles,
- Ryan Cook,
- Richard D. Emes,
- Michael A. Jones,
- Theodore Kypraios,
- Helen West,
- David A. Barrett,
- Stephen J. Ramsden,
- Rachel L. Gomes,
- Chris Hudson,
- Andrew D. Millard,
- Sujatha Raman,
- Carol Morris,
- Christine E.R. Dodd,
- Jan-Ulrich Kreft,
- Jon L. Hobman,
- Dov J. Stekel
Affiliations
- Michelle Baker
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 5RD, UK; School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 5RD, UK
- Alexander D. Williams
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 5RD, UK
- Steven P.T. Hooton
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 5RD, UK; aDepartment of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
- Richard Helliwell
- School of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Nottingham, University Park Campus, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK; School of Geography, University of Nottingham, University Park Campus, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK; Ruralis, University Centre Dragvoll, N—7491 Trondheim, Norway
- Elizabeth King
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 5RD, UK
- Thomas Dodsworth
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 5RD, UK; ResChem Analytical Ltd, 8 Jubilee Parkway, Jubilee Business Park, Stores Road, Derby DE21 4BJ, UK
- Rosa María Baena-Nogueras
- Food Water Waste Research Group, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, University Park Campus, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
- Andrew Warry
- Advanced Data Analysis Centre, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 5RD, UK
- Catherine A. Ortori
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, University Park Campus, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
- Henry Todman
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 5RD, UK; School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park Campus, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
- Charlotte J. Gray-Hammerton
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 5RD, UK; Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
- Alexander C.W. Pritchard
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 5RD, UK
- Ethan Iles
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 5RD, UK
- Ryan Cook
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 5RD, UK
- Richard D. Emes
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 5RD, UK
- Michael A. Jones
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 5RD, UK
- Theodore Kypraios
- School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park Campus, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
- Helen West
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 5RD, UK
- David A. Barrett
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, University Park Campus, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
- Stephen J. Ramsden
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 5RD, UK
- Rachel L. Gomes
- Food Water Waste Research Group, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, University Park Campus, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
- Chris Hudson
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 5RD, UK
- Andrew D. Millard
- aDepartment of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
- Sujatha Raman
- School of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Nottingham, University Park Campus, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK; Centre for Public Awareness of Science, Australian National University, Linnaeus Way, Acton ACT 2601, Canberra, Australia
- Carol Morris
- School of Geography, University of Nottingham, University Park Campus, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
- Christine E.R. Dodd
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 5RD, UK
- Jan-Ulrich Kreft
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT
- Jon L. Hobman
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 5RD, UK
- Dov J. Stekel
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 5RD, UK; Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park Kingsway Campus, Rossmore, Johannesburg, South Africa; Corresponding author.
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 169
p. 107516
Abstract
Waste from dairy production is one of the largest sources of contamination from antimicrobial resistant bacteria (ARB) and genes (ARGs) in many parts of the world. However, studies to date do not provide necessary evidence to inform antimicrobial resistance (AMR) countermeasures. We undertook a detailed, interdisciplinary, longitudinal analysis of dairy slurry waste. The slurry contained a population of ARB and ARGs, with resistances to current, historical and never-used on-farm antibiotics; resistances were associated with Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and mobile elements (ISEcp1, Tn916, Tn21-family transposons). Modelling and experimental work suggested that these populations are in dynamic equilibrium, with microbial death balanced by fresh input. Consequently, storing slurry without further waste input for at least 60 days was predicted to reduce ARB spread onto land, with > 99 % reduction in cephalosporin resistant Escherichia coli. The model also indicated that for farms with low antibiotic use, further reductions are unlikely to reduce AMR further. We conclude that the slurry tank is a critical point for measurement and control of AMR, and that actions to limit the spread of AMR from dairy waste should combine responsible antibiotic use, including low total quantity, avoidance of human critical antibiotics, and choosing antibiotics with shorter half-lives, coupled with appropriate slurry storage.
