Year: 2014
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Antibiotic resistance is a worldwide public health problem. In case of antibiotic resistance transfer to humans through food, the food production chain does not only play a passive role but it can also affect survival of antibiotic resistant bacteria and transfer of antibiotic resistance genes. This PhD research aimed at providing more insight into the acquisition and dissemination of antibiotic resistance during food production and preservation. Firstly, the transfer of an environmental plasmid to foodborne pathogens was analyzed as the spread of antibiotic resistance results roughly from an interplay of factors between environment, animals, food and humans. In a second part, the presence of integrons, one of the genius systems bacteria possess to acquire antibiotic resistance genes, was examined in a Belgium collection of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli. The third part of this PhD research explored to which extent plasmid transfer can occur in biofilms, as these structures represent a significant problem in the food industry. Minimal processing techniques and their influence on plasmid transfer are the topic of the last phase as the food industry increasingly applies these to meet the consumer demand for safe and high quality food. However, not much is known about how these techniques contribute to the transfer of antibiotic resistance genes.
Author: Eva Van Meervenne
Language: English
Subfield: Microbiology (medical)
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: Universiteit Gent
OpenAlex ID: W2192558292