| dc.description.abstract | Antibiotic use and bacterial transmission are responsible for the emergence, spread and
persistence of antimicrobial-resistant (AR) bacteria, but their relative contribution likely
differs across varying socio-economic, cultural, and ecological contexts. To better understand
this interaction in a multi-cultural and resource-limited context, we examine the distribution
of antimicrobial-resistant enteric bacteria from three ethnic groups in Tanzania. Household-
level data (n = 425) was collected and bacteria isolated from people, livestock, dogs, wildlife
and water sources (n = 62,376 isolates). The relative prevalence of different resistance
phenotypes is similar across all sources. Multi-locus tandem repeat analysis (n = 719) and
whole-genome sequencing (n = 816) of Escherichia coli demonstrate no evidence for host-
population subdivision. Multivariate models show no evidence that veterinary antibiotic use
increased the odds of detecting AR bacteria, whereas there is a strong association with
livelihood factors related to bacterial transmission, demonstrating that to be effective,
interventions need to accommodate different cultural practices and resource limitations. | en_US |
