Editorial: Antimicrobial resistance in food-producing environments: A One Health approach

Authors: Agga, Getahun; AMENU, KEBEDE - Addis Ababa University

Submitted to: Frontiers in Antibiotics
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/27/2024
Publication Date: 6/19/2024
Citation: Agga, G.E., Amenu, K. 2024. Editorial: Antimicrobial resistance in food-producing environments: A One Health approach. Frontiers in Antibiotics. 3. Article 1436987. https://doi.org/10.3389/frabi.2024.1436987.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/frabi.2024.1436987

Interpretive Summary: Antimicrobials play crucial roles for the health of animals and humans, and food security and safety. However, these benefits are increasingly being challenged by the rise of antimicrobial resistance. Animals and humans are intimately connected, and the environment plays a role in connecting the two. The One Health approach is being promoted to better understand the epidemiology and ecology of antimicrobial resistance, and to mobilize resources and efforts among the animal, human and environmental sectors in reducing antimicrobial resistance. Antimicrobial resistance is a complex issue, its control also requires a comprehensive approach. Antimicrobial resistance can occur under low antibiotic selection pressure such as in cow-calf production, and spread or maintained through animal manure, flies, and probiotics, that are also used in animal feed. Optimizing antimicrobial use in food-producing animals is critical to reduce the burden of antimicrobial resistance in general. Optimization requires the collection and quantification of antibiotic use data using standardized methods. Finally, interventions to reduce the use of antibiotics in food-producing animals play a significant role to reduce the burden of antimicrobial resistance.

Technical Abstract: Antimicrobial resistance is a complex problem affecting both the health of humans and animals. The environment plays a significant role in the dispersion of antimicrobial resistance genes to other ecosystems and as a reservoir of antimicrobial resistant bacteria. Antimicrobial resistance is a One Health issue linking animal environment-human interface and requires the concerted efforts of these sectors to better understand the epidemiology and to coordinate resources to combating it. Antimicrobial resistant bacteria in the food production environment is in part associated with antimicrobial use in food animals. Quantifying on-farm antimicrobial use would aid in the development of antimicrobial stewardship strategies; identifying antimicrobial resistance dissemination pathways from farms can help to identify critical control points for interventions to reduce antimicrobial resistance spread through the landscape. Seven articles published under this theme discuss 1) the baseline occurrence of antimicrobial resistance under cow-calf production; 2) estimating national antimicrobial use in food-producing animals; 3) standardization of variables and parameters used to quantify on-farm antimicrobial use; 4) swine lagoons as reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance genes; 5) dissemination of antimicrobial resistance through flies; 6) probiotics as a source of antimicrobial resistance determinants; and 7) interventions to reduce antimicrobial resistance.