The threat posed by AMR to both human and animal health is significant, and it has garnered attention from all around the world in an effort to stop its spread before it is too late. Due to a lack of surveillance networks, laboratory capacity, and adequate diagnostics, AMR is typically not consistently monitored in many nations.(Iskandar et al. 2021) This is worsened by overuse, misuse and improper use of antibiotics by animal handlers, farmers, etc.
The goal of this systematic data analysis was to quantify AMR exposure in various foods from butcher shops and retail food markets in India and Taiwan. The study's goal is to give a literature-based analysis of AMR bacteria occurrence and food vulnerability. The AMR exposure assessment serves as the foundation for developing an AMR action plan that incorporates risk analysis into systemic surveillance systems at the consumer and retail levels. This meta-analysis is essential in providing answers that can influence antibiotic usage strategies in livestock.
The meta-analysis study suggests that most of the food samples were contaminated with E. coli and Staphylococcus in both India and Taiwan. A high contamination rate was seen in chicken and beef in India, which is highly consumed, whereas in Taiwan, the resistance was seen against fish and pork. This indicates that proper hygiene practices are not being followed consistently. The data provided revealed that contamination occurred in the food most often consumed in each country. The isolated bacteria were mostly resistant to β-lactam, fluoroquinolone and quinolone. Resistance to carbapenem, tetracycline, and cephalosprin was moderate, whereas resistance to macrolides, phenicol, folic acid inhibitors, fusidane, lincosamide, glycylcycline, and monobactam was low. Raw foods consumption makes it more serious to consumers because resistant germs can thrive in untreated food.
In India beef, milk, pork and chicken are the most contaminated food as their consumption is high due to low prices. Raw foods contaminated with pathogens (meat, eggs, milk) and diseased animals are major sources of human diseases.(Rincón-Gamboa, Poutou-Piñales, and Carrascal-Camacho 2021) Furthermore, antimicrobial drugs are employed in animals not only for diagnosis and prevention of bacterial illness, but also for growth promotion also a major cause.(Chattopadhyay 2014) In addition, different animal-adapted serotypes are far more likely to cause invasive illness in humans. Similarly, vegetables may be contaminated by inadequately treated water and fertilizers, or they may be harmed by the use of bio-control agents during cultivation. (Rasheed et al. 2014a)
However, in Taiwan, food such as pork, chicken and meat is mostly contaminated by pathogens. In addition intake of raw milk, uncooked meat, the frozen fish ready for human consumption, some are employed as fermentation starters in meat, or other food processing, shows principal carriers of AMR.(Hoel, Vadstein, and Jakobsen 2017) According to one estimate, over 150,000 different varieties of food and drink are served on the streets and in night markets around the country.(Lin et al. 2017b) The culture of street food has always been linked to food poisoning and other digestive disorders and is associated with the food chain.(Alimi 2016; Huynh-Van et al. 2022) This suggests that the food supply chain could be a significant route for resistant genes to spread. As a result, examining the genetic arrangement of AMR genes is crucial for determining AMR risk and should be done more thoroughly.
It is essential to understand how the AMR is developing worldwide, and the current severity of the problem if it is unchecked. Similar to disease surveillance, AMR surveillance and meta-analysis offers data to guide intervention options. For instance, AMR surveillance can assist in evaluating of the effects of interventions on antibiotic usage guidelines or infection control. Additionally, effective surveillance systems can give decision-makers information on the emergence and prevalence of AMR.(Johnson 2015) Various countries including India and Taiwan have implemented policies like introduction monitoring systems and the One Health approach(Hernando-Amado et al. 2019) of resistance in food animals considering the public health risks of possible transfer of resistant bacteria or genes from animals or the environment to humans.(Carlos Franco et al. 2022; Gunjan et al. 2023).
Therefore, devising successful measures to target a reduction in the formation and spread of AMR requires an understanding of the epidemiology of AMR. As a result, organized multi-sectorial, collaborative AMR surveillance is critical for decision-making at the national, regional, and worldwide levels. It aids in tracking the burden of AMR and resistance trends in order for countries to develop cost-effective, evidence-based AMR response strategies. It will be beneficial in analyzing foodborne pathogens from multiple sources and reducing the knowledge gap.