Antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli at the human–pig interface: A One Health systematic review of genotypic and phenotypic evidence (2019

Int. J. One Health Vol.11 No.2 Article - 2

Systematic Review

International Journal of One Health, 11(2): 199-210

https://doi.org/10.14202/IJOH.2025.199-210

Antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli at the human–pig interface: A One Health systematic review of genotypic and phenotypic evidence (2019–2024)

Dinda Iryawati^1,2

, Aisyah Amanda Hanif³

, Fauziyatul Munawaroh⁴

, Sulpiana Sulpiana³

, Chaerul Basri⁵

, Srihadi Agungpriyono^6,7

, and Hadri Latif⁵

1. Animal Biomedical Study Program, IPB Postgraduate School, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, IPB University, Bogor, 16680, Indonesia.

2. Division of Public Health and Ethicomedicolegal, Faculty of Medicine, IPB University, Bogor, 16680, Indonesia.

3. Division of Biomedical Sciences and Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, IPB University, Bogor, 16680, Indonesia,.

4. Division of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe University, Kobe, Hyogo, 650-0017, Japan.

5. Division of Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, IPB University, Bogor, 16680, Indonesia.

6. Division of Anatomy, Histology, and Embryology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, IPB University, Bogor, 16680, Indonesia.

7. Global Health Agromaritime-One Health Collaborating Center, IPB University, Bogor, 16680, Indonesia.

Background and Aim: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) presents a major global health threat, particularly at the interface of human and animal health. Escherichia coli is a key indicator organism for AMR surveillance and is commonly found in both humans and pigs. Pigs are recognized as significant reservoirs of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), facilitating the potential transmission of resistant bacteria to humans. This study aimed to systematically review ARG profiles and associated phenotypic resistance in E. coli isolates from human and pig sources using whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data.

Materials and Methods: A systematic search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Wiley Online Library for English-language studies published from January 1, 2019, to October 21, 2024. Studies were included if they reported WGS-based ARG profiles and corresponding phenotypic resistance data for E. coli isolates from either humans or pigs. Data extraction and synthesis followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Gene nomenclature was standardized using the National Center for Biotechnology Information and the Compre-hensive Antibiotic Resistance Databases.

Results: Of 3,550 records screened, 13 studies met inclusion criteria, comprising 7 on human isolates, 5 on pig isolates, and 1 covering both. Ampicillin resistance was the most prevalent overall (71.4%), with rates of 75% in humans and 100% in pigs. A total of 80 ARGs spanning 11 antibiotic classes were identified, with 58 appearing in multiple studies. The most frequently reported ARGs were bla_TEM, sul1, sul2, dfrA17, tet(A), and tet(B). Notably, the qnrS gene, conferring quinolone resistance, was consistently detected in pig isolates. Geographic variation was observed, with a dominance of Chinese studies and variable resistance patterns across continents.

Conclusion: This review highlights a high prevalence of multidrug-resistant E. coli in both human and pig sectors, under-scoring the misuse of antibiotics in medical and agricultural settings. The consistent detection of ARGs, particularly bla_TEM and qnrS, calls for urgent cross-sectoral action. A One Health approach is essential to strengthen AMR surveillance, promote prudent antibiotic use, and implement coordinated interventions across human, veterinary, and environmental domains. Future research should integrate metagenomics and environmental monitoring to capture broader resistance dynamics.

Keywords: antibiotic resistance, antimicrobial resistance, Escherichia coli, One Health, pigs, resistance genes, surveillance, whole genome sequencing.

How to cite this article: Iryawati D, Hanif AA, Munawaroh F, Sulpiana S, Basri C, Agungpriyono S, and Latif H (2025) Antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli at the human–pig interface: A One Health systematic review of genotypic and phenotypic evidence (2019–2024), Int. J. One Health, 11(2): 199-210.

Received: 12-05-2025 Accepted: 17-07-2025 Published online: 27-08-2025

Corresponding author: Dinda Iryawati E-mail: dindairyawati@apps.ipb.ac.id

DOI: 10.14202/IJOH.2025.199-210

Copyright: Iryawati, et al. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.