Antibiotic resistance in livestock, environment and humans: One Health perspective

Abstract

Antibiotic resistance (AR) is a complex, multifaceted global health issue that poses a serious threat to livestock, humans, and the surrounding environment. It entails several elements and numerous potential transmission routes and vehicles that contribute to its development and spread, making it a challenging issue to address. AR is regarded as an One Health issue, as it has been found that livestock, human, and environmental components, all three domains are interconnected, opening up channels for transmission of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB). AR has turned out to be a critical problem mainly because of the overuse and misuse of antibiotics, with the anticipation of 10 million annual AR-associated deaths by 2050. The fact that infectious diseases induced by ARB are no longer treatable with antibiotics foreshadows an uncertain future in the context of health care. Hence, the One Health approach should be emphasized to reduce the impact of AR on livestock, humans, and the environment, ensuring the longevity of the efficacy of both current and prospective antibiotics.

The current state of phage therapy in livestock and companion animals

“…However, since the initial discovery of antibiotics, their potent effects have led to global misuse, resulting in various side effects and contributing to substantial environmental pollution and public health concerns. Of these issues, the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria poses the most serious threat [ 11 , 12 ]. In particular, multidrug-resistant bacteria, resistant to two or more antibiotics, require high antibiotic concentrations or additional administration of different antibiotics for treatment, exacerbating the situation [ 13 ].…”