Comparative analysis of the prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes in the intestine microbiome of piglets, cows and broiler chickens

Antibiotic resistance is a serious problem in the agricultural sector of the economy worldwide. The intestines of animals can be a reservoir for antibiotic resistance genes. The aim of the work was a comparative analysis of the prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes in the intestinal microbiome of cows, broiler chickens and pigs using highthroughput sequencing. The largest number of antibiotic resistance genes was detected in piglets (25 genes). The prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes among broiler chickens and cows was significantly lower, 3 and 1 gene, respectively. Bioinformatics analysis of the sequences established a wide prevalence of resistance genes to tetracyclines ( TetW ) and aminoglycosides ( Aph3-III ). Among the carriers of antibiotic resistance genes, species dangerous to animal and human health were identified, including Clostridioides difficile , Streptococcus suis , Trueperella pyogenes , Campylobacter coli , Campylobacter jejuni and Staphylococcus aureus . At the same time, it was established that more than 60% of bacteria in piglet feces possessing the tetracycline resistance gene TetW belonged to the genus Lactobacillus . The detected antibiotic resistance genes in pathogens may pose a threat to the health of livestock due to the ineffectiveness of future antibiotic therapy.