Microbial Ecology and the Resistome in Dairy Production: One Health Perspectives and Innovative Mitigation Strategies

Microbial ecology within dairy production has come under intense scrutiny, particularly as the field grapples with the mounting global threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Recent evidence indicates that resistomes originate from complex assemblages of antibiotic resistance genes and are not only pervasive throughout the dairy production chain but are dynamically shaped by microbial interactions, farm management practices, and environmental factors. Advances in metagenomics and high-throughput sequencing have unveiled diverse reservoirs of resistance genes in dairy settings. Despite these technological strides, knowledge gaps persist regarding the precise pathways of resistance development and dissemination, especially the roles of mobile genetic elements and horizontal gene transfer. There is ongoing debate about the impacts of agriculture-driven antibiotic use on wider ecosystems and human health, highlighting the urgent need for new, integrative approaches.This Research Topic aims to deepen understanding of the dairy resistome from a holistic One Health perspective, uniting insights from microbial ecology, genomics, food safety, and sustainable farming. Key goals include elucidating the ecological drivers and transmission routes of AMR, detecting critical control points within the dairy chain, and evaluating innovative mitigation measures such as natural antimicrobial-producing microbes and microbiome-based strategies. By integrating diverse scientific approaches, the topic seeks to answer pivotal questions regarding the mechanisms of AMR persistence and transfer, and to identify practicable, interdisciplinary interventions that may reduce AMR risks in dairy production.Within the context of dairy production and its interconnected animal, human, and environmental interfaces, this Research Topic welcomes contributions focused on both fundamental and applied research while excluding studies not directly relevant to the One Health framework. To gather further insights in this fast-evolving landscape, we invite articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes: 1) Ecological mapping of the dairy resistome across farms and processing environments 2) Characterization of mobile genetic elements and mechanisms of horizontal gene transfer 3) Metagenomic and bioinformatic approaches for AMR surveillance 4) Microbiome-driven mitigation strategies and the use of natural antimicrobial-producing bacteria 5) Risk assessment, policy implications, and sustainable management practices that align with One Health principles Topic editors: Felipe Machado De Sant'Anna, Uelinton Manoel Pinto, John Barlow Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/79284/microbial-ecology-and-the-resistome-in-dairy-production-one-health-perspectives-and-innovative-mitigation-strategies