Application of genomic technologies to measure and monitor antibiotic resistance in animals

Abstract

One of the richest reservoirs of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes, animal intestinal microbiota contributes to the spread of antibiotic resistance in the environment and, potentially, to human pathogens. Both culture-based genomic technology and culture-independent metagenomics have been developed to investigate the abundance and diversity of antibiotic resistance genes. The characteristics, strengths, limitations, and challenges of these genomic approaches are discussed in this review in the context of antibiotic resistance in animals. We also discuss the advances in single-cell genomics and its potential for surveillance of antibiotic resistance in animals.