Preventing the Emergence of Antimicrobial Resistance among Food‑Producing Animals

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as one of themajor global public health concerns, and it has been predictedthat in the absence of immediate measures to combat thesame, the time is not far enough when we have to live in apostantibiotic era.[1] Even though a large number of practiceshave attributed for the exaggeration of the problem, irrationaluse of antibiotics in food‑producing animals remains the keypotential factor for the development of antimicrobial‑resistantbacteria.[1‑3]As a matter of fact, it has been reported that in some of thenations, the use of antibiotics among animals is 4 times morethan that in humans, and these are used more for growthpromotion and disease prophylaxis and not for treatingsick animals.[3] This practice has led to the development ofantimicrobial‑resistant bacteria which are then transmittedto humans either through direct contact or through the foodchain.[1,3] Once a human acquires infection from these resistantbacteria, it accounts for prolonged duration of illness, morechances of admission in health‑care facilities, no effectivenessof the treatment, increased risk of nosocomial infections, anddeaths.[2,3] In addition, this also accounts for a massive burdenon the health‑care delivery system and catastrophic financialexpenditure.[2]