ArticleAnnals of work exposures and health2020
Occupational Exposure and Carriage of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes (tetW, ermB) in Pig Slaughterhouse Workers.
Article in Annals of work exposures and health, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 26 citations in OpenAlex.
- Antimicrobial resistance in meat and meat products from Asia: An urgent one health challenge- a systematic review and meta-analysis.Poultry science · 2025Pooled it
- Reducing Antimicrobial Resistance in Poultry Carcasses Extends Beyond Farm-Level Interventions.Foods (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Antibiotic resistance genes in companion animals and humans driven by the gut microbial communities: composition, distribution, and implications.BMC veterinary research · 2026Article
- Applying and adapting the welfare qualityJournal of animal science and technology · 2025Article
- Antimicrobial resistance genes aph(3')-III, erm(B), sul2 and tet(W) abundance in animal faeces, meat, production environments and human faeces in Europe.The Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy · 2022Article
- International Travel as a Risk Factor for Carriage of Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase-ProducingInternational journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Risk factors for the abundance of antimicrobial resistance genes aph(3')-III, erm(B), sul2 and tet(W) in pig and broiler faeces in nine European countries.The Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy · 2022Article
- Evaluation of Antibiotic Resistance in Bacterial Strains Isolated from Sewage of Slaughterhouses Located in Sicily (Italy).International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
- Risk Factors for Antimicrobial Resistance in Turkey Farms: A Cross-Sectional Study in Three European Countries.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Article
- Role played by the environment in the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through the food chain.EFSA journal. European Food Safety Authority · 2021Article
- Exploring Farmers' Reasons for Antibiotic Use and Misuse in Pig Farms in Brazil.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Article
- Antibiotic resistome from the One-Health perspective: understanding and controlling antimicrobial resistance transmission.Experimental & molecular medicine · 2021Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
23 authors at 7 institutions in 5 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesSlaughterhouse staff is occupationally exposed to antimicrobial resistant bacteria. Studies reported high antimicrobial resistance gene (ARG) abundances in slaughter pigs. This cross-sectional study investigated occupational exposure to tetracycline (tetW) and macrolide (ermB) resistance genes and assessed determinants for faecal tetW and ermB carriage among pig slaughterhouse workers.
methodsDuring 2015-2016, 483 faecal samples and personal questionnaires were collected from workers in a Dutch pig abattoir, together with 60 pig faecal samples. Human dermal and respiratory exposure was assessed by examining 198 carcass, 326 gloves, and 33 air samples along the line, next to 198 packed pork chops to indicate potential consumer exposure. Samples were analyzed by qPCR (tetW, ermB). A job exposure matrix was created by calculating the percentage of tetW and ermB positive carcasses or gloves for each job position. Multiple linear regression models were used to link exposure to tetW and ermB carriage.
resultsWorkers are exposed to tetracycline and macrolide resistance genes along the slaughter line. Tetw and ermB gradients were found for carcasses, gloves, and air filters. One packed pork chop contained tetW, ermB was non-detectable. Human faecal tetW and ermB concentrations were lower than in pig faeces. Associations were found between occupational tetW exposure and human faecal tetW carriage, yet, not after model adjustments. Sampling round, nationality, and smoking were determinants for ARG carriage.
conclusionWe demonstrated clear environmental tetracycline and macrolide resistance gene exposure gradients along the slaughter line. No robust link was found between ARG exposure and human faecal ARG carriage.
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