Susceptibility of Escherichia coli from growing piglets receiving antimicrobial feed additives

Concerns regarding an apparent association between the use of antimicrobial feed additives (AFAs) in food animal production and a concomitant increase in antimicrobial drug resistance among zoonotic enteropathogens have provided the impetus to propose cessation of their use. While AFAs have been used in food animal production for nearly 50 years, the future use of AFAs will require an understanding of the effects of different classes of antimicrobials on the antimicrobial resistance of commensal flora. The present study examines the effect of three AFAs (apramycin, carbadox, and chlortetracycline) on the antimicrobial susceptibility of Escherichia coli in growing piglets and on animal performance. Three replicate trials were conducted using growing piglets fed standard diets with and without antimicrobial feed additives (AFAs). Fecal samples were cultured selectively for F. coli at regular intervals from all piglets from birth to market and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of E. coli isolates was performed using a replica-plate screening method and a broth microdilution method. While resistance to tetracycline in E. coli varied widely by sample, group, and trial, a significant increase in the percentage of resistant isolates was observed in piglets receiving AFAs when compared to controls (p < 0.0001). Resistance to apramycin increased in E. coli from piglets fed apramycin when compared to controls (p < 0.0001). However, upon removal of apramycin, resistance in E. coli declined to baseline levels by day 75. Piglets receiving AFAs demonstrated improved feed efficiency during phase 4 (p < 0.001), and higher average daily gains in phases 3 and 4 (p < 0.0001). This study suggests that antimicrobial resistance to AFAs in E. coli is drug-dependent and that some antimicrobials may be suitable for continued use in feeds during specified growth periods without concern for persistence of resistant E. coli populations.