Comparison of the prevalence of bacterial enteropathogens, potentially zoonotic bacteria and bacterial resistance to antimicrobials in organic and conventional poultry, swine and beef production: a systematic review and meta-analysis

• Published in: Epidemiology and infection Vol. 137; no. 9; pp. 1217 - 1232
• Main Authors: YOUNG, I., RAJIĆ, A., WILHELM, B. J., WADDELL, L., PARKER, S., McEWEN, S. A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.09.2009
• Subjects: Animals; Animals, Domestic - microbiology; Antimicrobial agents; Antimicrobial resistance; Antimicrobials; Bacteria; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Broiler chickens; Campylobacter; Campylobacter - drug effects; Campylobacter - isolation & purification; Cattle; Chickens; Chickens - microbiology; Colony Count, Microbial; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; Enterobacteriaceae - drug effects; Enterobacteriaceae - isolation & purification; Food Industry; Food Microbiology; Food safety; Food, Organic - microbiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Meta analysis; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; Natural & organic foods; organic; Organic farming; Organic farms; Organic foods; Poultry; Prevalence; Public health; Review Article; Salmonella; Sus scrofa - microbiology; Systematic review; Turkeys - microbiology; Zoonoses; Canada; United States > US; food safety; Antimicrobial resistance; systematic review; organic; Human; Farming animal; Prevalence; Microbiology; Taxonomy; Poultry; Review; Epidemiology; Antimicrobial agent; Metaanalysis; Resistance; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Swine; Bacteria; Artiodactyla; Veterinary; Ungulata
• ISSN: 0950-2688; 1469-4409
• DOI: 10.1017/S0950268809002635

The prevalences of zoonotic and potentially zoonotic bacteria or bacteria resistant to antimicrobials in organic and conventional poultry, swine and beef production were compared using systematic review and meta-analysis methodology. Thirty-eight articles were included in the review. The prevalence of Campylobacter was higher in organic broiler chickens at slaughter, but no difference in prevalence was observed in retail chicken. Campylobacter isolates from conventional retail chicken were more likely to be ciprofloxacin-resistant (odds ratio 9·62, 95% confidence interval 5·67–16·35). Bacteria isolated from conventional animal production exhibited a higher prevalence of resistance to antimicrobials; however, the recovery of some resistant strains was also identified in organic animal production, where there is an apparent reduced antimicrobial selection pressure. Limited or inconsistent research was identified in studies examining the prevalence of zoonotic and potentially zoonotic bacteria in other food-animal species. There is a need for further research of sufficient quality in this area.