Genomic analysis reveals how seafood from Bangladesh may contribute to global spread of AMR

Researchers from the Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial Research and Bangladesh Agricultural University found multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli in seafood from Bangladesh and showed that these bacteria share genetic similarities with strains from other countries, suggesting that international seafood trade may help disseminate antimicrobial resistance (AMR) globally. The study, published in Frontiers in Microbiology, highlights that contaminated seafood can serve as a reservoir for E. coli carrying extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) and other resistance and virulence genes, which are often on mobile genetic elements facilitating gene transfer. Because Bangladesh is a major seafood exporter, this could have broad implications for public health worldwide. The authors call for strengthened AMR surveillance throughout the food production and supply chain, improved hygiene practices, and better water treatment to limit transmission.