Work

Occurrence of Antibiotic-Resistant Staphylococcus spp. in Orange Orchards in Thailand

Year: 2021

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The widespread indiscriminate application of antibiotics to food crops to control plant disease represents a potential human health risk. In this study, the presence of antibiotic-resistant staphylococci associated with workers and orange orchard environments was determined. A total of 20 orchards (orange and other fruits) were enrolled in the study. Trees in the orange orchards were treated with ampicillin on a pre-determined schedule. Environmental samples (n = 60) included soil, water, and oranges; 152 hand and nasal samples were collected from 76 healthy workers. Antibiotic susceptibility profiles were determined for all staphylococcal isolates. RESULTS: spp. recovered from the orange orchard, 30% (3/10) were resistant to erythromycin, 20% (2/10) were resistant to ampicillin, and 20% (2/10) resistant to both erythromycin and ampicillin. CONCLUSION: The application of antibiotics to orange trees in open production environments to halt the spread of bacterial disease presents risks to the environment and creates health concerns for Thai farmers using those agents. ARB on crops such as oranges may enter the global food supply and adversely affect public health.

Source: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19010246

Authors: Siwalee Rattanapunya, Aomhatai Deethae, Susan Woskie, Pornpimol Kongthip, Karl R. Matthews

Institutions: Chiang Mai Rajabhat University, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Mahidol University, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Language: English

Topic: Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts

Subfield: Pollution

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Zero hunger

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,484