Researchers from Arizona State University (ASU), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and Indonesia’s Ministry of Agriculture have tested a handheld DNA sequencing device to monitor antibiotic-resistant bacteria in chicken slaughterhouses and nearby rivers. The study, published in Antibiotics, highlights how portable technology can enhance surveillance of drug-resistant microbes, a growing global health threat.
The pilot project focused on six slaughterhouses in Greater Jakarta, collecting samples from wastewater and adjacent rivers. Using the MinION device—a compact, laptop-powered DNA sequencer—the team detected higher levels of antibiotic-resistant E. coli downstream compared to upstream, suggesting slaughterhouse waste as a key source of contamination.
Antibiotic resistance, linked to nearly 5 million deaths in 2021, often spreads through mobile genetic elements like plasmids, which the study identified with high accuracy. The portable device matched traditional lab methods, offering a cost-effective solution for low-resource settings.
Senior author Lee Voth-Gaeddert emphasized the urgency: “In certain settings, diarrhea caused by resistant bacteria isn’t just uncomfortable—it’s life-threatening.” The team also noted disparities in waste management, with some facilities lacking treatment systems entirely.
The study underscores the potential of portable sequencing to strengthen global antibiotic resistance surveillance, particularly under the One Health framework, which connects human, animal, and environmental health. Future applications could extend to farms, wet markets, and other pathogens like bird flu, providing critical tools to curb the spread of superbugs.
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