The human imperative of stabilizing global climate change at 1.5°C

Misuse and overuse of antimicrobial agents, such as antibiotics, in humans, animals, and plants is leading to increasing antimicrobial resistance (AMR). AMR is an urgent global priority necessitating international collaboration through a “One Health” response (across humans, animals, plants, and their shared environment). Efforts have focused on AMR and antimicrobial use (AMU) in human infections; however, animals, plants, and the environment also contribute to AMR. More antibiotics are consumed by animals produced for food, to promote growth or disease prevention, than by humans. The increasing demand for animal protein, predominantly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and links between AMU and AMR remains uncertain, particularly in LMICs where microbiology laboratories are scarce and antimicrobial drug availability remains largely unregulated (1, 2). On page 1266 of this issue, Van Boeckel et al. (3) map AMR in animals for food production in LMICs, with implications for One Health strategies.

By Catrin E. Moore

Sep 20th, 2019

Global trends in antimicrobial resistance in animals in low- and middle-income countries

Most antibiotic use is for livestock, and it is growing with the increase in global demand for meat. It is unclear what the increase in demand for antibiotics means for the occurrence of drug resistance in animals and risk to humans. Van Boeckel et al. describe the global burden of antimicrobial resistance in animals on the basis of systematic reviews over the past 20 years (see the Perspective by Moore). There is a clear increase in the number of resistant bacterial strains occurring in chickens and pigs. The current study provides a much-needed baseline model for low- and middle-income countries and provides a “one health” perspective to which future data can be added.

By Thomas P. Van Boeckel, et al.

Sep 20th, 2019