Cited by 352Antibiotic Use and ResistanceAntibiotic Resistance in BacteriaPharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts

Changes in intestinal flora of farm personnel after introduction of a tetracycline-supplemented feed on a farm

Levy, Stuart B., FitzGerald, George B., Macone, Ann B.·1976·New England Journal of Medicine

Abstract

A prospective study was undertaken to determine whether feeding farm animals antibiotics in feed caused changes in the intestinal bacterial flora of farm dwellers and their neighbors. Chickens were fed tetracycline-supplemented feed (tet-feed), and, as expected, within one week their intestinal flora contained almost entirely tetracycline-resistant organisms. Increased numbers of resistant intestinal bacteria also appeared, but more slowly, in farm members, but not their neighbors. Within five and six months, 31.3 per cent of weekly fecal samples from farm dwellers contained greater than 80 per cent tetracycline-resistant bacteria as compared to 6.8 per cent of the samples from the neighbors (P less than 0.001). Seven of the 11 farm members, but only three of the 24 neighbors, had two or more fecal samples containing greater than 80 per cent tetracycline-resistant coliforms (P less than 0.01). These resistant bacteria contained transferable plasmids conferring multiple antibiotic resistances. Selective pressure by tet-feed for antibiotic-resistant bacteria in chickens extends to human beings in contact with chickens and the feed.

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Crossref · 10.1056/nejm197609092951103

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24 of 24 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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Authors
Levy, S. B., FitzGerald, G. B., & Macone, A. B.
Affiliations
Tufts University (US)
Venue
New England Journal of Medicine
Published
1976-09-09
Volume
295
Issue
11
Pages
583-588
ISSN
  • 0028-4793 (ISSN-L)
  • 1533-4406
OpenAlex
W2325966728
Cited by
352
References
23
Citations by year
2025: 7 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 18 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 8
FWCI
26.97
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • New England Journal of Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology › Antibiotic Use and Resistance
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Medicine › Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts
Keywords
tetracycline resistance, antibiotic resistance, intestinal bacterial flora, farm workers, poultry feed, chickens, coliform bacteria, plasmid-mediated resistance, selection pressure
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Agriculture, Animals, Animal Feed, Animals, Domestic, Bacteria, Chickens, Child, Child, Preschool, Drug Resistance, Microbial, Eggs, Feces, Female, Food Microbiology, Humans, Intestines, Male, Occupations, R Factors, Tetracyclines

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