title: Antimicrobial resistance in Campylobacter, Salmonella, and Escherichia coli isolated from retail grain-fed veal meat from Southern Ontario, Canada.
abstract: This study estimated the prevalence of Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Escherichia coli isolates in fresh retail grain-fed veal obtained in Ontario, Canada. The prevalence and antimicrobial resistance patterns were examined for points of public health significance. Veal samples (n = 528) were collected from February 2003 through May 2004. Twenty-one Salmonella isolates were recovered from 18 (4%) of 438 samples and underwent antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Resistance to one or more antimicrobials was found in 6 (29%) of 21 Salmonella isolates; 5 (24%) of 21 isolates were resistant to five or more antimicrobials. No resistance to antimicrobials of very high human health importance was observed. Ampicillin-chloramphenicolstreptomycin-sulfamethoxazole-tetracycline resistance was found in 5 (3%) of 21 Salmonella isolates. Campylobacter isolates were recovered from 5 (1%) of 438 samples; 6 isolates underwent antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Resistance to one or more antimicrobials was documented in 3 (50%) of 6 Campylobacter isolates. No Campylobacter isolates were resistant to five or more antimicrobials or category I antimicrobials. E. coli isolates were recovered from 387 (88%) of 438 samples; 1,258 isolates underwent antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Resistance to one or more antimicrobials was found in 678 (54%) of 1,258 E. coli isolates; 128 (10%) of 1,258 were resistant to five or more antimicrobials. Five (0.4%) and 7 (0.6%) of 1,258 E. coli isolates were resistant to ceftiofur and ceftriaxone, respectively, while 34 (3%) of 1,258 were resistant to nalidixic acid. Ciprofloxacin resistance was not detected. There were 101 different resistance patterns observed among E. coli isolates; resistance to tetracycline alone (12.7%, 161 of 1,258) was most frequently observed. This study provides baseline prevalence and antimicrobial resistance data and highlights potential public health concerns.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Foodborne Zoonoses, Public Health Agency of Canada, 120-255 Woodlawn Road West, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1H 8J1. angela.cook@phac-aspc.gc.ca
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Reid-Smith
authors.forename: Rebecca J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Irwin
authors.forename: Scott A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: McEwen
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ribble
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002167:Campylobacter / Q000187:drug effects*; D002417:Cattle; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009864:Ontario; D015995:Prevalence; D012475:Salmonella / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents