Authors : Anastasios Minas , Evanthia Petridou , Eleftheria Bourtzi-Chatzopoulou , Vasilios Krikelis , Aggelos Papaioannou and Panagiotis Plageras
Abstract: The increased antibiotic resistance of intestinal commensal bacteria of food-producing animals in the last decade due to the extensive use of antibiotics is a potential risk for human health. In the present study, the prevalence of antibiotic resistance of E. coli, E. faecalis and E. faecium isolated from faecal samples from fattening pigs and pig farm workers who are not in contact with animals (group A) and pig farm workers who are in direct contact with animals (group B) was determined. The resistance of the bacteria was assessed by the determination of Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of each antibiotic used in the study by microdilution method. E. coli isolated from fattening pigs showed resistance to at least one antibiotic used in the study at 93.20%, from pig farm workers of group A at 60.19% and of group B at 41.74%. The isolates of E. faecalis from fattening pigs, pig farm workers of group A and pig farm workers of group B were resistant to at least one antibiotic used in the study at 73.78, 68.93 and 52.42%. The resistance of E. faecium isolated from the same groups was determined at 62.13, 52.43 and 44.66%. E. coli and Enterococci isolated from pigs showed high resistance to tetracyclines, sulfamethoxazone, streptomycin and erythromycin, whereas those isolated from pig farm workers showed high resistance to tetracycline, ampicillin and erythromycin. The results of the study provide evidence that the use of antibiotics in pigs as well as the increased resistance of intestinal commensal bacteria affects the resistance of intestinal commensal bacteria in the persons working on the farms.
Anastasios Minas , Evanthia Petridou , Eleftheria Bourtzi-Chatzopoulou , Vasilios Krikelis , Aggelos Papaioannou and Panagiotis Plageras , 2008. Antibiotic Resistance in Intestinal Commensal Bacteria Isolated from Faecal Samples from Pigs and Pig Farm Workers in Greece . Research Journal of Biological Sciences, 3: 193-200.