blog subscriptions

World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week is marked annually from 18 to 24 November to raise global awareness on antimicrobial resistance and encourage rational use of antimicrobials to reduce further emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance. Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medicines, making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death. Antimicrobial resistance is currently one of the biggest threats to global public health. Researchers have estimated that bacterial antimicrobial resistance caused 1.2 million deaths in 2019. Two-thirds of the global increase in antimicrobial use is from the agricultural sector. Rational use of animal health products, particularly antibiotics, should therefore be promoted as one of the strategies to reduce the spread of antimicrobial resistance. The Animal and Human Health program of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) seeks to effectively manage or eliminate livestock, zoonotic and foodborne diseases that matter to the poor through the generation and use of knowledge, technologies and products, leading to higher farmer incomes and better health and nutrition for consumers and livestock. Our research approach to improving flock and herd health in smallholder systems promotes the rational use of antibiotics. To this end, we work with national, regional and international partners to carry out research on antimicrobial resistance at the human–livestock interface. To celebrate World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week 2023, under the theme Preventing Antimicrobial Resistance Together, we feature a curated selection of recent collaborative research outputs on antimicrobial resistance authored and co-authored by scientists from ILRI’s Animal and Human Health program. Peer-reviewed journal articles Aboah, J., Ngom, B., Emes, E., Fall, A.G., Seydi, M., Faye, A. and Dione, M. 2023. Mapping the effect of antimicrobial resistance in poultry production in Senegal: an integrated system dynamics and network analysis approach. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 10: 1189109. Baker, K.S., Jauneikaite, E., Nunn, J.G., Midega, J.T., Atun, R., Holt, K.E., Walia, K., Howden, B.P., Tate, H., Okeke, I.N., Carattoli, A., Hsu, L.Y., Hopkins, K.L., Muloi, D.M., Wheeler, N.E., Aanensen, D.M., Mason, L.C.E., Rodgus, J., Hendriksen, R.S., Essack, S.Y., Egyir, B., Halpin, A.L., MacCannell, D.R., Campos, J., Srikantiah, P., Feasey, N.A. and Peacock, S.J. for the SEDRIC Genomics Surveillance Working Group. 2023. Evidence review and recommendations for the implementation of genomics for antimicrobial resistance surveillance: reports from an international expert group. Lancet Microbe.  Bor, N., Seguino, A., Sentamu, D.N., Chepyatich, D., Akoko, J.M., Muinde, P. and Thomas, L.F. 2023. Prevalence of antibiotic residues in pork in Kenya and the potential of using gross pathological lesions as a risk-based approach to predict residues in meat. Antibiotics 12(3): 492. Dey, T.K., Lindahl, J.F., Lundkvist, Å., Grace, D., Deka, R.P., Shome, R., Bandyopadhyay, S., Goyal, N.K., Sharma, G. and Shome, B.R. 2023. Analyses of extended-spectrum-β-lactamase, metallo-β-lactamase, and AmpC-β-lactamase producing Enterobacteriaceae from the dairy value chain in India. Antibiotics 12(9): 1449.  Dey, T.K., Shome. B.R., Bandyopadhyay, S., Goyal, N.K., Lundkvist, Å., Deka, R.P., Shome, F., Venugopal, N., Grace, D., Sharma, G., Rahman, H. and Lindahl, J.F. 2023. Molecular characterization of methicillin-resistant staphylococci from the dairy value chain in two Indian states. Pathogens 12(2): 344. Dunlea, T., Richards, S. and Lembo, T. 2023. Healthcare provider-focused antimicrobial stewardship in sub-Saharan Africa: opportunities and challenges. Trends in Microbiology 31(3): 215–218. Emes, E., Faye, A., Naylor, N., Belay, D., Ngom, B., Fall, A.G., Knight, G. and Dione, M. 2023. Drivers of antibiotic use in semi-intensive poultry farms: Evidence from a survey in Senegal. Antibiotics 12(3): 460. Emes, E., Wieland, B., Magnusson, U. and Dione, M. 2023. How farm practices and antibiotic use drive disease incidence in smallholder livestock farms: Evidence from a survey in Uganda. One Health 17: 100627. Gemeda, B.A., Wieland, B., Alemayehu, G., Knight-Jones, T.J.D., Wodajo, H.D., Tefera, M., Kumbe, A., Olani, A., Abera, S. and Amenu, K. 2023. Antimicrobial resistance of Escherichia coli isolates from livestock and the environment in extensive smallholder livestock production systems in Ethiopia. Antibiotics 12(5): 941. Gudda, F., Odinga, E.S., Tang, L., Waigi, M.G., Wang, J., Abdalmegeed, D. and Gao, Y. 2023. Tetracyclines uptake from irrigation water by vegetables: Accumulation and antimicrobial resistance risks. Environmental Pollution 338: 22696. Hamilton, K.A., Njoroge, S.M., Momanyi, K., Murungi, M.K., Odinga, C.O., Bor, N., Ogendo, A.F., Odaba, J., Ogola, J.G., Fèvre, E.M. and Falzon, L.C. 2023. Antimicrobial resistance in slaughterhouses, Kenya. Emerging Infectious Diseases 29(10): 2155–2158. Jimenez, C.E.P., Keestra, S., Tandon, P., Cumming, O., Pickering, A.J., Moodley, A. and Chandler, C.I.R. 2023. Biosecurity and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) interventions in animal agricultural settings for reducing infection burden, antibiotic use, and antibiotic resistance: a One Health systematic review. Lancet Planetary Health 7(5): e418–e434. Jimenez, C.E.P., Keestra, S.M., Tandon, P., Pickering, A.J., Moodley, A., Cumming, O. and Chandler, C.I.R. 2023. One Health WASH: an AMR-smart integrative approach to preventing and controlling infection in farming communities. BMJ Global Health 8(3): e011263. Kariuki, J.W., Jacobs, J., Ngogang, M.P. and Howland, O. 2023. Antibiotic use by poultry farmers in Kiambu County, Kenya: exploring practices and drivers of potential overuse. Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control 12: 3. Kisoo, L., Muloi, D.M., Oguta, W., Ronoh, D., Kirwa, L., Akoko, J., Fèvre, E.M., Moodley, A. and Wambua, L. 2023. Practices and drivers for antibiotic use in cattle production systems in Kenya. One Health 17: 100646. Muloi, D.M., Jauneikaite, E., Anjum, M.F., Essack, S.Y., Singleton, D.A., Kasudi, M.R., Wade, M.J., Egyir, B., Nunn, J.G., Midega, J.T., Peacock, S.J., Feasey, N.A., Baker, K.S. and Zadoks, R.N. for the SEDRIC Genomics Surveillance Working Group. 2023. Exploiting genomics for antimicrobial resistance surveillance at One Health interfaces. Lancet Microbe. Mutua, F., Kiarie, G., Mbatha, M., Onono, J., Boqvist, S., Kilonzi, E., Mugisha, L., Moodley, A. and Sternberg-Lewerin, S. 2023. Antimicrobial use by peri-urban poultry smallholders of Kajiado and Machakos counties in Kenya. Antibiotics 12(5): 905. Samad, M.A., Eberson, L., Begum, R., Alam, M.G.S., Talukdar, F., Akter, R., Sinh Dang-Xuan, Sharma, G., Islam, S., Siddiky, N.A., Uddin, A.S.M.A., Mahmud, M.A., Sarker, M.S., Rahman, M.S., Grace, D. and Lindahl, J.F. 2023. Microbial contamination and antibiotic resistance in marketed food in Bangladesh: Current situation and possible improvements. Antibiotics 12(3): 555. Sawadogo, A., Kagambèga, A., Moodley, A., Ouedraogo, A.A., Barro, N. and Dione, M. 2023. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance among poultry farmers in urban and peri-urban areas of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Antibiotics 12(1): 133. Tufa, T.B., Regassa, F., Amenu, K., Stegeman, J.A. and Hogeveen, H. 2023. Livestock producers’ knowledge, attitude, and behavior (KAB) regarding antimicrobial use in Ethiopia. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 10: 1167847. Technical report Ssajjakambwe, P., Atuheire, C., Okello, J., Kakooza, S., Waiswa, J., Ayebare, D., Roesel, K. and Moodley, A. 2023. Antimicrobial resistance and stewardship among stakeholders of the poultry value chain in Wakiso and Soroti districts, Uganda: Knowledge, attitudes and practices report. Nairobi, Kenya: ILRI. Join the online conversations by following the hashtags #AntimicrobialResistance, #AMR and #WAAW.

Slaughterhouses are hotspots for the transmission of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens. Emerging Infectious Diseases (Oct 2023) reports on a new study by ILRI scientists on antimicrobial resistance in the slaughterhouse context in Busia, Bungoma and Kakamega counties in western Kenya.  The team conducted stakeholder discussions on antimicrobial-resistant pathogens within the slaughterhouse setting. Butchers were described as powerful stakeholders; challenges included limited funding and staff, inadequate infrastructure, and limited laboratory capacity.  Slaughterhouse workers understood that their work increased their risk for exposure. Citation Hamilton, K.A., Njoroge, S.M., Momanyi, K., Murungi, M.K., Odinga, C.O., Bor, N., Ogendo, A.F., Odaba, J., Ogola, J.G., Fèvre, E.M. and Falzon, L.C. 2023. Antimicrobial resistance in slaughterhouses, Kenya. Emerging Infectious Diseases 29(10): 2155–2158.  

The impact of antimicrobial resistance extends beyond the farm-level to other stakeholders warranting the need for a collaborative approach to combat antimicrobial resistance while optimising production objectives and safeguarding human health. A study published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science (July 2023) mapped out the effect of antimicrobial resistance originating from poultry production in Senegal and highlights the entry points for interventions from a stakeholder perspective. A causal loop diagram was developed following a group model building procedure with 20 stakeholders and integrated with network analysis by translating the causal loop diagram into an unweighted directed network. Results indicate that with an eigenvector centrality of 1, 0.85, and 0.74, the production cost, on-farm profit, and on-farm productivity, respectively are the most ranked influential variables driving the complexity of antimicrobial resistance in the poultry production system. Two reinforcing feedback loops highlight the dual benefits of improving on-farm productivity and increasing on-farm profit. However, one balancing feedback loop that revolves around the causal link between producers’ investment in qualified human resource personnel to ensure good farm management practices underline the financial implication of producers’ investment decisions. The findings provide precursory groundings for the development of a quantitative system dynamic model, the formulation of intervention scenarios and ex-ante impact assessment of the cost-effectiveness of the interventions. Citation Aboah, J., Ngom, B., Emes, E., Fall, A.G., Seydi, M., Faye, A. and Dione, M. 2023. Mapping the effect of antimicrobial resistance in poultry production in Senegal: an integrated system dynamics and network analysis approach. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 10: 1189109.

Inappropriate antimicrobial use in livestock production is an important aspect of the global burden of antimicrobial resistance. In Ethiopia, a low-income country with a large and increasing livestock population, antimicrobial use in food animals is not properly regulated. Hence, farmers are fully free to use antimicrobials to their perceived benefit. Therefore, understanding farmers' mindsets is important to improve antimicrobial stewardship in the livestock sector. It was in this light that a research study was conducted to assess livestock disease management practices and knowledge, attitude and behaviour among livestock producers in Ethiopia regarding antimicrobial use, residues and resistance. The study is published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science (May 2023). The research team determined the knowledge, attitude and behaviour of 457 livestock owners of three selected districts of central and western Ethiopia, by a pretested questionnaire administered through face-to-face interviews. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between potential explanatory variables and the knowledge, attitude and behaviour scores of the respondents. The results showed that 44% of the farmers used antimicrobials in the past few years, where antibiotics (21%) and trypanocides (11%) were most widely used to manage livestock diseases. Most farmers had poor knowledge about antimicrobial use, residues and antimicrobial resistance (94%) and unfavorable attitudes (<50% correct answers) towards contributing factors for antimicrobial resistance (97%). On the contrary, 80% of respondents had overall good behaviour scores (≥50% correct answers) related to antimicrobial use. Multivariate analysis results showed that having good knowledge, keeping ≥2 animal species and the occurrence of ≥4 livestock diseases on the farm in a year were strong predictors of bad behaviour scores (p < 0.05). The study also revealed that the incidence of livestock diseases on the farm and a higher level of formal education significantly contributed to better knowledge and desirable attitudes but bad antimicrobial use behaviour. A low level of awareness about and undesirable attitudes toward antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance could potentially affect farmers' behavior toward judicious antimicrobial use, thus requiring awareness creation efforts on livestock disease management practices. Citation Tufa, T.B., Regassa, F., Amenu, K., Stegeman, J.A. and Hogeveen, H. 2023. Livestock producers' knowledge, attitude, and behavior (KAB) regarding antimicrobial use in Ethiopia. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 10: 1167847.