Scientific researchers identified a new antibiotic-resistant strain of Salmonella extracted from chickens bred for meat consumption, according to research published in the journal Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.
The gene was identified in the Salmonella enterica strain dubbed Heidelberg and displayed high levels of resistance to the broad-spectrum antibiotic fosfomycin, which is used to treat multidrug-resistant infections. To assess the potency of the antibiotic-resistant gene and its potential to convey resistance to other Salomnella strains, researchers cloned the gene and introduced it the enteritidis Salmonella enterica strain. The gene subsequently increased the amount of fosfomycin needed to inhibit bacterial reproduction by 256-fold.
Resistance was detected in all 15 Salmonella Heidelberg isolates researchers collected from the broiler chickens, according to a release.
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