Abstract
Use of antimicrobial feed additives in food animal production is associated with selection for drug resistance in bacterial pathogens, which can then be released into the environment through occupational exposures, high volume ventilation of animal houses, and land application of animal wastes. We tested the hypothesis that current methods of transporting food animals from farms to slaughterhouses may result in pathogen releases and potential exposures of persons in vehicles traveling on the same road. Air and surface samples were taken from cars driving behind poultry trucks for 17 miles. Air conditioners and fans were turned off and windows fully opened. Background and blank samples were used for quality control. Samples were analyzed for susceptible and drug-resistant strains. Results indicate an increase in the number of total aerobic bacteria including both susceptible and drug-resistant enterococci isolated from air and surface samples, and suggest that food animal transport in open crates introduces a novel route of exposure to harmful microorganisms and may disseminate these pathogens into the general environment. These findings support the need for further exposure characterization, and attention to improving methods of food animal transport, especially in highly trafficked regions of high density farming such as the Delmarva Peninsula.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 33-39 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Journal of Infection and Public Health |
| Volume | 1 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2008 |
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Keywords
- Air sampling
- Antimicrobial resistance
- Bioaerosol
- CAFO
- Food animal transport
- Surface sampling
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Cite this
Food animal transport : A potential source of community exposures to health hazards from industrial farming (CAFOs). / Rule, Ana M; Evans, Sean L.; Silbergeld, Ellen.
In: Journal of Infection and Public Health, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2008, p. 33-39.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Food animal transport
T2 - A potential source of community exposures to health hazards from industrial farming (CAFOs)
AU - Rule, Ana M
AU - Evans, Sean L.
AU - Silbergeld, Ellen
PY - 2008
Y1 - 2008
N2 - Use of antimicrobial feed additives in food animal production is associated with selection for drug resistance in bacterial pathogens, which can then be released into the environment through occupational exposures, high volume ventilation of animal houses, and land application of animal wastes. We tested the hypothesis that current methods of transporting food animals from farms to slaughterhouses may result in pathogen releases and potential exposures of persons in vehicles traveling on the same road. Air and surface samples were taken from cars driving behind poultry trucks for 17 miles. Air conditioners and fans were turned off and windows fully opened. Background and blank samples were used for quality control. Samples were analyzed for susceptible and drug-resistant strains. Results indicate an increase in the number of total aerobic bacteria including both susceptible and drug-resistant enterococci isolated from air and surface samples, and suggest that food animal transport in open crates introduces a novel route of exposure to harmful microorganisms and may disseminate these pathogens into the general environment. These findings support the need for further exposure characterization, and attention to improving methods of food animal transport, especially in highly trafficked regions of high density farming such as the Delmarva Peninsula.
AB - Use of antimicrobial feed additives in food animal production is associated with selection for drug resistance in bacterial pathogens, which can then be released into the environment through occupational exposures, high volume ventilation of animal houses, and land application of animal wastes. We tested the hypothesis that current methods of transporting food animals from farms to slaughterhouses may result in pathogen releases and potential exposures of persons in vehicles traveling on the same road. Air and surface samples were taken from cars driving behind poultry trucks for 17 miles. Air conditioners and fans were turned off and windows fully opened. Background and blank samples were used for quality control. Samples were analyzed for susceptible and drug-resistant strains. Results indicate an increase in the number of total aerobic bacteria including both susceptible and drug-resistant enterococci isolated from air and surface samples, and suggest that food animal transport in open crates introduces a novel route of exposure to harmful microorganisms and may disseminate these pathogens into the general environment. These findings support the need for further exposure characterization, and attention to improving methods of food animal transport, especially in highly trafficked regions of high density farming such as the Delmarva Peninsula.
KW - Air sampling
KW - Antimicrobial resistance
KW - Bioaerosol
KW - CAFO
KW - Food animal transport
KW - Surface sampling
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=63549146931&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=63549146931&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jiph.2008.08.001
DO - 10.1016/j.jiph.2008.08.001
M3 - Article
C2 - 20701843
AN - SCOPUS:63549146931
VL - 1
SP - 33
EP - 39
JO - Journal of Infection and Public Health
JF - Journal of Infection and Public Health
SN - 1876-0341
IS - 1
ER -