Researchers at Colorado State University are investigating the weighty topic of antibiotic resistance – an issue with ramifications for global food safety and public health – by tracking the genetic footprints of drug-resistant bacteria.
They want to determine where infectious organisms originate and how they move through the food system and environment to people. The study, funded with $2.25 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is one of the largest of its kind and is enabled by recent advances in DNA sequencing technology.
The project is expected to provide insights about the factious topic of antibiotic use in food animals, chiefly beef and dairy cattle, and the degree to which the longstanding agricultural practice contributes to development of “superbugs” that infect people whose illnesses are difficult and expensive to treat.
Using DNA sequencing technology, the researchers will trace genes that cause resistance in bacteria. This will allow them to determine sources and paths, including whether and how antimicrobial-resistant bugs move from livestock to humans.
They will compare antimicrobial resistance in traditional and organic processes, and in different environments, to identify what resistant genes are present and how they are transferred. They also want to learn whether different production methods affect abundance of antimicrobial resistance.
Read full, original article: CSU researchers trace ‘superbug’ genes to better understand antibiotic-resistant germs
