Microbial risks associated with industrial poultry production

The goal of this research has been to test hypotheses related to exposure and health outcomes associated with the production of broiler poultry. To accomplish this, I examined consumer exposure via consumption of poultry products and exposure of workers in poultry houses. The following specific objectives were incorporated in the design of this research: (1) monitor the prevalence of ciprofloxacin resistant Campylobacter on poultry products from companies that stopped using fluoroquinolones for production; (2) measure the relative prevalence of Campylobacter-associated symptoms and biomarkers among poultry workers compared to community referents; (3) measure the relative prevalence of antimicrobial resistant E. coli among poultry workers compared to community referents.; The poultry product surveillance, carried out over 3 years, revealed that there was no change in the proportion of fluoroquinolone resistant Campylobacter isolates from the two conventional producers over the test period. At all times, Campylobacter from the two conventional brands were significantly more likely (p < 0.05) to be ciprofloxacin resistant than were those isolated from antibiotic-free products. These results suggest that ciprofloxacin resistance may persist long after removal of the drug from water in poultry houses. The results are consistent with studies on vancomycin (avorparcin) resistance in poultry houses after a complete ban on its use in the EU.; The study of Campylobacter-associated symptoms and biomarkers among poultry workers and community referents revealed that poultry workers had significantly higher anti-Campylobacter IgG titers compared to referents (p < 0.05); they were significantly more likely to report multiple Campylobacter-associated neurologic symptoms (p < 0.05); and although not statistically significant male workers had a higher point risk estimate for detectable anti-ganglioside IgG titers (p = 0.07) compared to male referents.; The antimicrobial resistant E. coli study revealed that poultry workers had 32--33 times the odds of being gentamicin resistant compared to isolates from community referents (p ≤ 0.002). Poultry work was also associated with significantly increased odds of carrying multidrug resistant E. coli (attributable to the increased prevalence of gentamicin resistance).; The poultry product surveillance results indicate that simply removing fluoroquinolones from poultry production may not be sufficient to reduce the populations of ciprofloxacin resistant Campylobacter on conventional poultry products. The Campylobacter-associated symptoms and biomarkers study results indicate that poultry workers may be at elevated risk for Campylobacter-associated neurologic sequelae. The antimicrobial resistant enteric bacteria results indicate that poultry workers occupationally exposed to live broilers may become colonized with antimicrobial resistant enteric bacteria from poultry and that occupational exposure to antimicrobial resistant bacteria from live-animal contact in food animal production represents an understudied route of entry for antimicrobial resistant bacteria into the community.; In conclusion, use of antibiotics in industrial poultry production can lead to antibiotic resistance risks to both poultry consumers and those occupationally exposed to poultry. Furthermore, intensive occupational exposure to C. jejuni may pose neurologic risks to poultry workers. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...