Emergence of Tobramycin Escherichia coli resistance in poultry meat linked to biocides overuse during COVID-19

Abstract

The effect of excessive use of biocides during the COVID-19, on the resistance of Escherichia coli to Tobramycin in poultry, meat was examined in this observational epidemiological study (Before and after COVID–19). Tobramycin E. coli resistant strains isolated from poultry meat before COVID-19 appearance were compared with those isolated after COVID-19 emergence. Univariable analyses were performed using t-test and chi-squared test. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were used for statistically significant risk factor. Multivariate analysis was done with the binary logistic regression to detect an independent predictor, and with the principal component analysis (PCA), to analyze whether the Tobramycin resistance in E. coli was linked with the COVID-19 outbreak. Statistical significance was set at P<0.05. The frequency of Tobramycin E. coli resistant isolates was more important after COVID-19 emergence (12.5%) than before COVID-19 (2.1%). Graphical representation of PCA qualitative variables shows the interfactor relationship. A significant relationship between Tobramycin E. coli resistance and COVID-19 emergence (P=0.014), and the effect of the emergence of COVID-19 on the Tobramycin E. coli resistance was OR = 6.57 (95% Confidence interval (CI) 1.61-7.94). The probability of Tobramycin E. coli resistance linked with poultry meat bought after COVID-19 was 1.88 times more than before COVID-19 emergence. Poultry meat purchased after COVID-19 found related to Tobramycin resistance in E. coli. It seems possible that the overuse of biocides during COVID-19 increased the risk of Tobramycin E. coli resistance in poultry meat.