Surveillance of Escherichia coli antimicrobial resistance in pig farms in Zhejiang province, China: High prevalence of multidrug resistance and risk-associated genes

The study reveals a significant rise in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in pig farms in Zhejiang Province, China. The research, which involved analyzing 51 E. coli strains from 90 fecal samples, found that resistance rates for amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and sulfamethoxazole exceeded 90%, with resistance to ampicillin, florfenicol, tetracycline, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole above 80%. Multidrug-resistant strains were found to be 89.24%. The study highlights the need for sustained surveillance of AMR in animal populations to mitigate the threat of resistance.