A model of antibiotic resistance genes accumulation through lifetime exposure from food intake and antibiotic treatment

Todman, Henry; Arya, Sankalp; Baker, Michelle; Stekel, Dov Joseph

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistant bacterial infections represent one of the most serious contemporary global healthcare crises. Acquisition and spread of resistant infections can occur through community, hospitals, food, water or endogenous bacteria. Global efforts to reduce resistance have typically focussed on antibiotic use, hygiene and sanitation and drug discovery. However, resistance in endogenous infections, e.g. many urinary tract infections, can result from life-long acquisition and persistence of resistance genes in commensal microbial flora of individual patients, which is not normally considered. Here, using individual based Monte Carlo models calibrated using antibiotic use data and human gut resistomes, we show that the long-term increase in resistance in human gut microbiomes can be substantially lowered by reducing exposure to resistance genes found food and water, alongside reduced medical antibiotic use. Reduced dietary exposure is especially important during patient antibiotic treatment because of increased selection for resistance gene retention; inappropriate use of antibiotics can be directly harmful to the patient being treated for the same reason. We conclude that a holistic approach to antimicrobial resistance that additionally incorporates food production and dietary considerations will be more effective in reducing resistant infections than a purely medical-based approach.

Citation

Todman, H., Arya, S., Baker, M., & Stekel, D. J. (2023). A model of antibiotic resistance genes accumulation through lifetime exposure from food intake and antibiotic treatment. PLoS ONE, 18(8), Article e0289941. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289941

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 30, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Aug 17, 2023
• Publication Date: Aug 17, 2023
• Deposit Date: Aug 21, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 22, 2023
• Journal: PLOS ONE
• Electronic ISSN: 1932-6203
• Publisher: Public Library of Science
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 18
• Issue: 8
• Article Number: e0289941
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289941
• Keywords: Multidisciplinary
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/24424087
• Publisher URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0289941