Indian scientists have for the first time reported the presence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) gene profiles in poultry from Kerala and Telangana, raising concerns about the growing threat of AMR, which could be exacerbated by the shrinking repertoire of effective antibiotics.
Poultry farming, particularly industrial practices that heavily rely on antibiotics, is a significant source of AMR. India and China are major meat producers and hotspots for AMR, making this finding particularly alarming.
The study, titled “The Antimicrobial Resistance Profile in Poultry of Central and Southern India is Evolving with Distinct Features,” was published in Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases by the Drug Safety Division of the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad.
Dr. Shobi Veleri, one of the authors of the study, emphasized that while Central and Southern India had been predicted to become hotspots for AMR in poultry, there was a lack of data to confirm this. To address this gap, the team collected chicken feces from poultry farms in these regions and isolated genomic DNA. The samples showed a high prevalence of gram-negative and anaerobic species, which possess an additional protective layer in their cell membrane, making them resistant to drugs that would otherwise be effective. These resistant species are particularly concerning as they complicate the treatment of serious infectious diseases like pneumonia, cholera, and food poisoning.
The study identified high-priority pathogens such as E. coli, Clostridium perfringens, Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacteroides fragilis, all of which carry AMR genes. These pathogens contribute to infections that are common in India, including respiratory, gastrointestinal, urinary tract, and intra-abdominal infections. The spread of AMR pathogens significantly increases public health risks and the likelihood of mortality due to limited treatment options.
The research further revealed that Southern India exhibited a higher abundance of AMR genes than Central India, with E. coli being notably more prevalent in the southernmost regions. The study also found that while the AMR profiles of Indian poultry were similar to those of European Union (EU) farms, there were key differences. For instance, Indian poultry samples lacked the mcr-1 gene, which confers resistance to colistin, a last-resort antibiotic. Similarly, a newly-emerged resistance gene, optrA, found in the EU, was not present in Indian samples, while qnr, a gene commonly seen in the EU, was emerging in Southern India at lower levels.
The findings highlight the evolving nature of AMR in India’s poultry industry, with gene profiles comparable to those in the EU, though less severe. However, this also presents an opportunity for India to take proactive measures to control the spread of AMR in the food chain. The scientists call for urgent government intervention to safeguard public health and prevent the further spread of AMR.
Source: The Hindu
Think Grain Think Feed is publishing a story on AMR: The India Story in February 2025, featuring industry stalwarts from the poultry and aquaculture sectors, as well as perspectives from academia and policymakers. If you would like to be a part of it, please write to prachi.a@benisonmedia.com
