Articles

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the biggest threats to world health – this is when microbes become resistant to the medicines that are used to stop them from working. This study is a One Health approach to the evolution of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in humans, animals, wildlife, and the environment. The overuse of antibiotics accelerates the processes of spontaneous mutation and horizontal gene transfer (conjugation, transduction, and transformation) by bacteria that help them become resistant. Food-producing animals have used antibiotics to stimulate growth and ward off disease for years, and in the poultry and dairy industries, the bacteria have become resistant to antibiotics and have spread to meat, milk, and even insects. Companion animals are also becoming more multidrug-resistant due to the extensive use of their treatments, and the presence of resistant genes and organisms in the wildlife and environmental reservoirs, including wastewater and agricultural runoff. The implications are serious, with zoonotic diseases, reduced treatment options, and significant economic losses to the agriculture and healthcare industries. There is global action needed to address AMR, such as the Global Action Plan by WHO, which focuses on surveillance, awareness, infection prevention, and sensible use of antimicrobials. The study concludes that there is no single sector that can tackle this complex problem alone and, therefore, that cooperation between veterinarians, doctors, farmers, and environmental scientists is required to combat AMR on an ongoing basis.