Antibiotic resistance gene pollution in poultry farming environments and approaches for mitigation: A system review.

Summary

This systematic review consolidates evidence on the contamination of poultry farming environments with antibiotic resistance genes, a recognised public health and environmental concern linked to routine antimicrobial use in livestock production. The paper likely maps ARG prevalence across environmental compartments — including litter, soil, water, and air — and evaluates the effectiveness of current mitigation strategies such as composting, probiotics, phage therapy, and policy-driven reductions in antibiotic use. As a systematic review published in 2025, it offers an up-to-date synthesis relevant to ongoing global efforts to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR) at the agriculture–environment interface.

UK applicability

Whilst the review appears to draw on international literature with probable emphasis on studies from China and other high-intensity poultry-producing regions, the findings are broadly applicable to UK conditions given the UK's commitments under its National Action Plan on AMR and the regulatory restrictions on prophylactic antibiotic use in livestock introduced in recent years.

Key measures

Antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) abundance and diversity; ARG transmission pathways; efficacy of mitigation approaches (e.g. manure treatment, feed additives, biosecurity measures)

Outcomes reported

The review examined the prevalence, distribution, and transmission pathways of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in poultry farming environments, including soil, water, air, and manure. It also assessed and synthesised evidence on intervention strategies to reduce ARG pollution across poultry production systems.

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