Excessive use of medically important antimicrobials in food animals in Pakistan: a five-year surveillance survey

Abstract

Demand for poultry meat is rising in low-and middle-countries, driving the expansion of large commercial farms where antimicrobials are used as surrogates for hygiene, good nutrition. This routine use of antimicrobials in animal production facilitates the emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Despite potentially serious consequences for the animal industry, few studies have documented trends in antimicrobial use (AMU) at the farm-level in low-and middle-income countries. The objective of this study was to estimate AMU in a broiler chicken farm in Pakistan over a five-year period and to extrapolate national AMU in commercial broiler farming. Between 2013 and 2017, we monitored AMU in 30 flocks from a commercial broiler farm in Punjab, the most populous province of Pakistan. The amount of antimicrobials administered was calculated in milligram/population unit of the final flock weight (mg/fPU) and in used daily dose (UDD). The annual on-farm antimicrobial use was 250.84 mg of active ingredient per kilogram of the final flock weight. This consumption intensity exceeds the amount of antimicrobial used per kilogram of chicken of all countries in the world except China. Measured in mg per kg of final flock weight or population unit (fPU), medically important drugs such as colistin (31.39 mg/fPU), tylosin (41.71 mg/fPU), doxycycline (81.81 mg/fPU), and enrofloxacin (26.19 mg/fPU) were the most frequently used antimicrobials for prophylactic or therapeutic use. Lincomycin was the most frequently used antimicrobial used in-feed (29.09 mg/fPU). Our findings suggest that the annual consumption of antimicrobials in the broiler sector in Pakistan could be as high as 568 tons. This alarmingly high consumption estimate is the first baseline study on antimicrobial use in animals in Pakistan. Our findings call for immediate actions to reduce antimicrobial use in Pakistan, and countries with comparable farming practices.

<p>Emergence of <em>bla</em>_NDM-1 Harboring <em>Klebsiella pneumoniae</em> ST29 and ST11 in Veterinary Settings and Waste of Pakistan</p>

“…On the other hand, monitoring practices of antibiotics usage in veterinary and farm settings is inadequate. 16 Recently we have reported the first bla KPC harboring K. pneumoniae ST258 from Pakistan and we also have reported the occurrence of ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae in hospital settings and waste from Pakistan. 3,17 Here, for the first time from Pakistan, we demonstrated the prevalence of bla NDM-1 harboring carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae in veterinary settings and waste from Pakistan.…”

Next-Generation Sequencing Based Gut Resistome Profiling of Broiler Chickens Infected with Multidrug-Resistant Escherichia coli

“…A previous study associated the prevalence of various ARG types (β-lactams, aminoglycosides, and tetracycline) to the common administration of these antibiotics in the respective poultry farms [35]. Data related to antibiotic usage (AMU) in poultry farms of Pakistan are unregulated; however, commonly used antibiotics for growth promotion in poultry farms are mainly β-lactams, lincosamides, tetracyclines, and macrolides [10,36]. The prevalence of various ARG types in the present study could be due to the selective pressure imposed by these particular antibiotics administered in broiler chickens.…”

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Slaughter Houses and Meat Shops in Capital Territory of Pakistan During 2018–2019

“…Global antibiotic use in low- and middle-income countries increased by 65% from 2000 to 2015 ( Dweba et al, 2019 ). There is evidence that overuse of antimicrobials in food animals leads to the production of drug-resistant bacterial infections in both animals and humans ( Mohsin et al, 2019 ). Many antimicrobials used in veterinary medicine are also listed in the World Health Organization (WHO) catalog of vitally important antimicrobials in hospital settings ( World Health Organization [WHO], 2019 ).…”