Contemporary food safety trends: Antimicrobial resistance in zoonotic pathogens

Antimicrobial resistance is a daunting public health threat affecting both human and animal health and it is a cause for concern wherever antimicrobial agents are in use. The usage of antimicrobial drugs in food producing animals could result in a significant food safety issue - antimicrobial resistance among zoonotic bacteria in these animals. The resistant bacteria may then be transmitted to humans through the food supply and increase risk of treatment failures. Campylobacter spp. and Salmonella spp. are two examples of food borne pathogens in which increasing resistance gives rise to concern. No monitoring program has been applied in Serbia. Therefore, the Veterinary Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture financed three projects of the Scientific Veterinary Institute 'Novi Sad' to screen the spread of resistant food borne pathogens. The examinations have shown a similar situation as in the EU. Resistance to one or more antimicrobial drugs was found in 25-40.58% Salmonella spp. and 40-75.32% Campylobacter spp. isolates from poultry and pig carcasses. Zoonotic pathogens in food have to be controlled through a complete, continuous farm-to-fork system. Application of prophylactic and sanitary measures in farm breeding, slaughtering, food distribution and preparation of food in the kitchen may considerably reduce risk from the incidence of resistant zoonotic pathogens