Abstract The expansion of intensive poultry farming has led to a substantial increase in antibiotic use, which in turn has promoted the accumulation of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). The chicken gut serves as a reservoir for these genes and provides favorable conditions for their horizontal transfer via mobile genetic elements, such as plasmids. Through this process, commensal bacteria can transfer ARGs to pathogens, facilitating their spread and increasing the risk of transmission to humans.
