Poultry as Hidden Reservoirs: The Growing Public Health Threat of Resistant Enterobacteriaceae

The widespread use of antimicrobials in poultry production for therapeutic and non-therapeutic purposes has resulted in the emergence and dissemination of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Enterobacteriaceae, such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., Proteus spp., and Salmonella spp. These organisms, routinely found in poultry and their environments, carry a variety of resistance genes that can be transferred to humans through the food chain, environmental contamination, and direct contact. The consequences of these resistance genes are profound, leading to increased morbidity and mortality associated with resistant infections. As a result, the effectiveness of last-resort antibiotics is compromised, resulting in the need for more expensive and less effective treatments, posing a substantial economic burden on healthcare systems. In this review, we discuss the resistance genes present in poultry and its environment, modes of transmission and acquisition of these resistance genes, and associated public health implications. It emphasizes the need for enhanced surveillance, alternative management strategies in poultry farming, and coordinated global efforts to mitigate the public health threat posed by resistant Enterobacteriaceae.