Antimicrobial-Resistant Foodborne Bacteria in Algeria: A Systematic Review at the Animal–Food–Human Interface

Introduction:

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in food-producing animals and animal-derived foods is a major One Health concern, particularly in settings where surveillance data remain fragmented across animal, food, human, and environmental sectors. Algeria represents an under-synthesized North African context in which several microbiological studies have reported resistant bacteria in livestock, poultry, meat, milk, dairy products, and ready-to-eat foods, but the evidence has not been comprehensively integrated. This systematic review aimed to summarize published evidence on antimicrobial-resistant foodborne bacteria in Algeria and to identify gaps limiting One Health interpretation.

Methods:

A PRISMA 2020-compliant systematic review was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and African Journals Online. Eligible studies reported phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility testing and/or molecular detection of resistance genes in bacteria isolated from food-producing animals, slaughterhouse samples, retail meat, milk, dairy products, eggs, ready-to-eat foods, or related food-chain environments in Algeria. Human-only clinical studies, environmental-only studies without food-chain relevance, narrative reviews, and non-AMR contamination studies were excluded.

Results:

The available literature mainly addressed poultry, cattle, raw milk and dairy products, meat, slaughterhouse samples, and ready-to-eat foods. Frequently investigated bacteria included Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp., Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus, and Enterococcus spp. Recurrent findings included multidrug-resistant phenotypes, extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales, AmpC-associated resistance, colistin resistance markers, and resistance to antimicrobial classes relevant to veterinary and public health. However, studies differed substantially in sampling design, geographic coverage, laboratory methods, antimicrobial panels, molecular confirmation, and reporting standards.

Conclusions:

Published Algerian evidence indicates that AMR in animal-derived food chains is a relevant but incompletely integrated One Health issue. Standardized surveillance combining farm, slaughterhouse, retail-food, environmental, and public-health data would strengthen risk assessment and support AMR control strategies in Algeria and comparable North African contexts.