Antimicrobial Resistance in Zoonotic Bacteria

Due to the extensive antimicrobial use in humans and agriculture, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as a major threat to global health. The intensive use of antimicrobials in animals selects AMR genes, which then can be transferred to human pathogens via a variety of horizontal gene transfer mechanisms. Although the prevalence and mechanisms of AMR have been studied in common foodborne pathogens and indicator bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and the species of Enterococcus, Salmonella, and Campylobacter, the situation with other rarely investigated veterinary and zoonotic bacteria such as Leptospira, Brucella, Borrelia, Lawsonia and other genera is less clear. In addition, the majority of surveillance and control programs have been designed to target commensal and zoonotic bacteria in food production animals, thus AMR bacteria in companion, wild and other animals have received less attention.

The aim of this Research Topic is to gather more information about the occurrence and diversity of AMR in zoonotic bacteria from various animal origins. Additionally, this Research Topic would like to address the mechanisms associated with the emergence and dissemination of AMR in zoonotic pathogens.

This Research Topic encourages submissions related to, but not limited to, the following:

• Detection, distribution, epidemiology, and AMR of zoonotic bacteria from food animals, farm animals, laboratory animals, companion animals, wild animals, exotic animals, and other animal sources.

• Mechanisms of AMR acquisition by zoonotic bacteria.

• New advancements in technologies for surveillance and identification of zoonotic bacteria and their AMR determinants.

Submissions to this Research Topic can be made in any article format acceptable by this section/journal.