Increased antibiotic resistance in pigs and pork meat
In 2023, a higher occurrence of antibiotic resistance has been found in certain indicator and zoonotic bacteria (Enterococcus faecalis, Campylobacter coli and Salmonella) from pigs and pork. Regarding the bacterium Enterococcus faecalis from slaughter pigs, an increase in resistance from 1% to 5% against several antibiotics was observed. For the bacterium Campylobacter coli, resistance increased between 5% and 9% compared to the latest figures from 2021. There has been also a drastic increase in multi-resistant Salmonella Typhimurium bacteria in 2023, after a declining trend over the past three years. Compared to 2022, multi-resistance in Salmonella Typhimurium from pork increased by 27%. Similarly, the occurrence of resistance to at least one antibiotic increased by 17% for Salmonella Derby in pork.
"The increasing trend in the occurrence of antibiotic resistance in bacteria from pigs and from pig meat is concerning. At the same time, we also see an increased consumption of antibiotics in pig production. The cause and correlation between the increased use and the observed increases in antibiotic resistance must be thoroughly investigated," says Senior Researcher Ana Sofia Ribeiro Duarte from the National Food Institute.
Significant increase in antibiotic resistance in cattle
Similar trends with increasing antibiotic resistance are also seen in bacteria from calves. Over the past five years, the proportion of multi-resistant Escherichia coli (E. coli) has increased significantly. From 2022 to 2023, resistance increased by between 2% and 7% for antibiotics such as ampicillin, chloramphenicol, sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline, and trimethoprim. At the same time, an increase in antibiotic use for calves under 1 year was observed in 2023.
Denmark has a lower incidence of antibiotic resistance than the EU
Despite increased antibiotic resistance in Danish food-producing animals, Denmark ranks lower compared to most other EU countries. In particular, resistance to critically important antibiotics is either rarely detected or not detected at all. For example, resistance to third-generation cephalosporins in E. coli from Danish cattle and pigs has decreased further in 2023, and resistance to carbapenems has not been detected. Both antibiotic classes are critically important in human treatment.
