Occupational risks for animal farmers to be colonised with animal-associated resistant bacteria in Thailand, impact on the faecal microbiota – FarmResist

Southeast Asia (SEA) is considered to be a hotspot for infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance(AMR). The alarming prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases producing enterobacteria (ESBL-E)and the emergence and the rapid dissemination of plasmids carrying the mcr-1 gene conferring resistance tocolistin (polymixin E) in Thailand is therefore a global health concern. The abuse of antibiotic in human issuggested to be the cause of this very high prevalence in community. However, other factors could also beresponsible, in particular, occupational or direct contact with farm’s animals could be a risk factor ofacquiring genes of resistance from zoonotic bacteria. For example, colistin has been extensively used inanimal production, often as growth promoters and clonal transmission of colistin-resistant E. coli from adomesticated pig to a human was demonstrated in Laos (Olaitan et al. 2015). Colistin is re-introduced as thelast resort antibiotics to cure multidrug resistant Gram-negative infection in human setting and thereforeresistance to colistin is worldwide, one of the most worried concern. Therefore it is urgent to elucidate therole of farm animals in the spread of AMR in the community and to assess the risk factors for animals andhumans to be colonized with AMR. Therefore, the main objective of this proposal is to assess, with a OneHealth approach, the occupational risk for pig and poultry farmers to be colonised with animal-associatedESBL-E and colistin-resistant Gram-negative Enterobacteria. The second objective is to look at theassociation between farm parameters and prevalence of AMR. In particular: a) the type of animal production(extensive vs intensive), b) the antimicrobial usage (type and quantity) and c) the role of the other animalspresent on the farm with a special focus on rodents. The third objective is to study the influence of faecalcarriage of ESBL-E or colistin resistant bacteria on the faecal microbiota of farmers. Finally, the fourthobjective is to transfer the analytical methods (microbiota analysis) to a Thai PhD student and to proposeefficient preventive measure to reduce the prevalence of resistance in animal farms and to avoid thetransmission to the farmers.