RESISTANCE IN FECAL ESCHERICHIA-COLI ISOLATED FROM PIGFARMERS AND ABATTOIR WORKERS

Faecal samples collected from three populations of healthy adult volun teers (290 pigfarmers, 318 abattoir workers, 160 (sub)urban residents) living in the south of The Netherlands were analysed for the prevalen ce and degree of antibiotic resistance of Escherichia coli. Significan t differences in prevalence of resistance to amoxicillin, neomycin, ox ytetracycline, sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim were observed. The pi gfarmers showed the highest percentages of resistance and the (sub)urb an residents the lowest. In contrast no significant differences in hig h degrees of resistance were observed, except for neomycin. Although b oth pigfarmers and abattoir workers have regular contact with pigs dif ferences in prevalences of resistance were observed. However, because abattoir workers with intensive and less intensive pig(carcass) contac t did not show significant differences, this is probably not the only important source of resistant E. coli in pigfarmers. The high antibiot ic use by pigfarmers (5%) and abattoir workers (8%) than by (sub)urban residents (0%) did not result in significantly different resistance p ercentages.