From Barn to Breeze: Characterising the Airborne Microbiome and Antimicrobial Resistance in Irish Livestock Environments

Anita Grasso - Trinity College Dublin

17:00 - 17:15 Tuesday 09 June Afternoon

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Abstract

Farm environments are known to generate high levels of bioaerosols, particularly during activities such as animal handling, cleaning operations, and the management and application of manure and slurry. Bioaerosols generated in farm environments are characterised by bacteria and fungi, some of which may be pathogenic and act as zoonotic agents with the potential to be transferred to humans. Therefore, it is important to address the current knowledge gap regarding the characterisation of farm bioaerosols in Ireland in order to establish prevention strategies and mitigate the airborne transmission of pathogens.  Although bioaerosols are known to comprise a diverse cohort of microorganisms, the EPA 2021 gap analysis identified air and bioaerosols as among the least studied routes for the transmission of antimicrobial-resistant organisms (AROs) and antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs).  This study aims to characterise and investigate the aerosol microbiome in Irish farm environments, including both bacterial and fungal communities, using culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches.  Ten aerosol samples were collected during aerosol-generating activities on a single farm using the AirPrep™ Cub Sampler ACD210. Microbial communities were characterised using next-generation sequencing (NextSeq™ 2000 P4 XLEAP-SBS™). The results provide new insights into the presence and composition of bioaerosols in Irish agricultural environments. These data contribute to the broader ResistAMR programme, addressing antimicrobial resistance through a One Health perspective.

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