A team of international researchers warns of the risk of a pandemic caused by antimicrobial resistance in food animals, with a special focus on Southeast Asia. The study highlights the imminent danger these animals pose to global public health.
7.7 million people die from bacterial infections – Photo Shutterstock
A pandemic of antibiotic-resistant superbugs could threaten global public health, a recent study says, underscoring the need for urgent prevention measures.
A study published in International Journal of Food Science and Technology warns that food animals could become a vector for dangerous superbugs, thus posing a major threat to global public health and food security.
“Exist a great pandemic which is poised to emerge in the form of antimicrobial resistance. We will face a situation where we will run out of antibiotics.,” said Rajaraman Eri, associate dean of the department of food biosciences and technology at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia, according to Newsweek.
According to the World Health Organization, drug-resistant diseases could cause up to 10 million deaths annually by 2050. The study identifies Asia, particularly Southeast Asia, as an epicenter of antimicrobial resistance in animals. The region is home to an enormous number of animals, including billions of chickens and millions of ducks, cattle, buffalo, pigs, sheep and goats. Although these animals are essential to the economy and nutrition of local communities, they pose a major risk in terms of the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance.
Antibiotics on the plate
Co-author Charmaine Lloyd pointed out that the excessive and inappropriate use of antimicrobial drugs, particularly for growth promotion in healthy animals, has contributed significantly to the rapid rise of antimicrobial resistance.
“On the farm, the presence of antibiotics in food, soil, water runoff and animal waste can contribute to the development of this resistance. Because animal-resistant bacteria can be transferred to humans through the food chain or by direct contact, this route of transmission highlights the link between human and animal health, underscoring the need to address antimicrobial resistance in food animals“, she said in a statement.
Thus, the study underlines the importance of differentiating between antimicrobial resistance and the presence of residues in animals intended for human consumption.
Antimicrobial resistance develops when microorganisms become immune to antimicrobial treatments, while residues are traces of drugs and other substances that remain in animal tissues or products. Both aspects represent significant risks to human health, generating increasing concern about the consumption of food products containing such residues.
“Veterinary drug residues usually arise from excessive and inappropriate use of antimicrobial agents, growth promoters and other veterinary drugs in animal husbandry practices,” explained Rajaraman Eri. The researcher draws attention to the unevenness of regulations globally, noting that while countries such as Australia have well-established policies to manage antimicrobial resistance, many other nations do not benefit from such controls. “In many countries, anyone can buy antibiotics, whether for human or animal usehe said.
To address these issues, the research team formulated six recommendations for policymakers in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which includes countries such as Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Recommendations include clearly recognizing the difference between residues and antimicrobial resistance, promoting regional collaboration, implementing awareness campaigns and regulations tailored to each country, fostering international cooperation, strengthening public health systems, and investing in research for alternative antimicrobial solutions and sustainable agricultural practices.
We eat antibiotics without wanting to
Every year, 7.7 million people die from bacterial infections, making it the second leading cause of death globally. Therefore, antimicrobial resistance is also described as “the silent pandemic“.
For his part, Prof. Dr. Emilian Popovici, vice-president of the Romanian Society of Epidemiology, believes that “the problem of antibiotic resistance is also caused by the non-compliance with the protocols for the administration of antibiotics in the human species but also in animals“. The expert claims that “tons of antibiotics are given to animals”, and from there ultra-resistant bacteria can appear, given that humans, consuming products derived from animals, “eat antibiotics without wanting to”.
“The use of this type of medication for animal health and breeding must be strictly supervised and regulated with the same care as the use of anti-microbial medications for human health.”stated Dr. Emilian Popovici previously for “the truth”.
The epidemiologist considers global collaboration crucial in combating antimicrobial resistance. This involves partnerships with international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to develop global strategies to combat superbugs.
