Transferable Antibiotic Resistances in Marketed Edible Grasshoppers (Locusta migratoria migratorioides)

• Autores: Andrea Osimani, Cristiana Garofalo, Lucia Aquilanti, Vesna Milanović, Federica Cardinali, Manuela Taccari, Marina Pasquini, Stefano Tavoletti, Francesca Clementi
• Localización: Journal of food science, ISSN 0022-1147, Vol. 82, Nº 5, 2017, págs. 1184-1192
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Grasshoppers are the most commonly eaten insects by humans worldwide, as they are rich in proteins and micronutrients. This study aimed to assess the occurrence of transferable antibiotic resistance genes in commercialized edible grasshoppers. To this end, the prevalence of 12 selected genes [aac(6’)-Ie aph(2?)-Ia, blaZ, erm(A), erm(B), erm(C), mecA, tet(M), tet(O), tet(S), tet(K), vanA, vanB] coding for resistance to antibiotics conventionally used in clinical practice was determined. The majority of samples were positive for tet(M) (70.0%), tet(K) (83.3%) and blaZ(83.3%). A low percentage of samples were positive for erm(B) (16.7%), erm(C) (26.7%), and aac(6’)-Ie aph(2?)-Ia(13.3%), whereas no samples were positive for erm(A), vanA, vanB, tet(O), and mecA. Cluster analysis identified 4 main clusters, allowing a separation of samples on the basis of their country of origin. The present study sheds a 1st light on the distribution of antibiotic resistances on a large number of samples of edible grasshoppers which are the most commonly eaten insects by humans around the world. Together, our results suggest a prudent use of antimicrobial compounds during rearing of edible insects to prevent selection and transmission of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (and their genes) associated with this novel food.