Exposure assessment to cephalosporin resistant E. coli through consumption of broiler meat

The acquired resistance of E. coli to cephalosporin antimicrobial drugs is becoming a major issue in intensive broiler farming. In Belgium, about 36% of the E. coli strains isolated from live poultry are resistant to cephalosporin antimicrobial drugs while 60% of the broilers are carrier of these cefalosporin resistant E. coli. The risk of consuming chicken meat contaminated with cephalosporin resistant E. coli consists mainly of the possible transfer of resistance genes to other, potential pathogenic bacteria present in the human intestinal tract. Indeed, cephalosporin resistant E. coli strai... Mehr ...