Quantification of tetracycline and chloramphenicol resistance in digestive tracts of bulls and piglets fed with Toyocerin®, a feed additive containing Bacillus toyonensis spores.

The complete genome sequencing of Bacillus toyonensis, the active ingredient of the feed additive Toyocerin(®), has revealed the presence of tetM and cat genes, a tetracycline and a chloramphenicol resistance gene, respectively. The aim of this study was to determine whether the use of Toyocerin(®) (viable spores of B. toyonensis) as a probiotic in feedstuff increased the abundance of tetracycline and chloramphenicol resistant bacteria in the intestinal tracts of piglets and Holstein bulls. To this end, qPCRs were designed to quantify the abundances of tetM and cat genes and B. toyonensis in the intestinal content of animals treated and non-treated with Toyocerin(®). Additionally, the culturable bacterial populations resistant to tetracycline or chloramphenicol were enumerated by plate counting. No statistical significances were detected between the concentrations of tetracycline or chloramphenicol resistant bacterial populations in treated and non-treated animals. The concentrations of tetM and cat in most of the treated animals were similar to those of B. toyonensis. Furthermore, tetM and cat genes were also detected in some non-treated animals, although in low concentrations. These results suggest that tetM and cat genes are already circulating among the commensal microbiota regardless of the use of Toyocerin(®). The use of Toyocerin(®) as a supplement in feedstuff does not increase the abundances of tetracycline and chloramphenicol resistant bacteria in the intestinal tracts of piglets and Holstein bulls beyond the contribution directly associated to the introduction of B. toyonensis spores through diet.
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