Tackling Antibiotics resistance across humans, animals and the environment 

This article was exclusively written for European Sting by Ms. NGOUEDOH NKEMZI HELMA STACEY, a second year medical student at the Faculty of health sciences in the University of Buea. She is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s view on the topic, nor The European Sting’s one.

Antibiotic resistance (ABR) is one of the top global public health and development threats. It is closely interlinked with the health of humans, animals and the environment 

Over the years, many antibacterial classes have been discovered, but only a few recently .The problem with ABR is everyone uses antibiotics(ATBs) a little too much and inadequately .In the long run we may be left with no effective drug . 

The health of humans, animals and the environment is  interconnected. Antibiotic resistance is linked to each of these three components due to irresponsible use of antibiotics in different sectors and the  transmission of resistant bacteria genes through food, water, waste , direct contact or shared environment.

The over use of antibiotics at inappropriate doses or the misuse of drugs (incomplete ATB treatement ) can result to mutations in bacteria structure accounting for their resistance . 

A large portion of antibiotic resistant infections are nosocomial that is acquired from the hospital due to poor infection control and inadequate prevention measuo in the health sector. 

Some infections are livestock associated, transmitted through the consumption of infected animals and plants . 

A rise in ATB resistance in animals can lead to painful , untreatable infections  and result to drastic loss in livestock production especially in low income countries. 

Bacterial resistance can also arise due to overuse of ATB which are important for human health in animals  to promote growth and prevent diseases in healthy animals . This resistance can later spread to humans. 

Cross contamination from one animal to another can occur through;

 direct contact, sharing water or food contaminated with infected faeces from one animal to another . 

An unsafe environment is a danger to human and animal life. 

Environmental antibiotic resistance can be as a result of using manure or fertilisers that contains resistant bacteria and ATB residues which contaminates soil and crops. 

Wastes from homes ,farms ,industries and hospitals which are improperly disposed off can also contaminate the environment and promote the spread of resistance 

The one health approach acknowledges that resistant bacteria can spread between humans, animals and the environment. 

Tackling ABR effectively requires holistic ,coordinated actions that address problems affecting all three sectors. Efforts include;

-Promoting awareness about the responsible use of ATB and improving hospital hygiene

-Reducing the need for ATB through better disease prevention using tools such as vaccines. 

 -Addressing diseases associated with livestock consumption, targeting regions where animal health system is neglected. 

-And finally reducing unnecessary use of ATB’s in agriculture and aquaculture particularly for growth promotion or disease prevention. 

The fight against ABR is crucial for ensuring health. Collaboration between human , animal and environmental experts will ensure a healthier future for generations to come. 

About the author

NGOUEDOH NKEMZI HELMA STACEY is a second year medical student at the Faculty of health sciences in the University of Buea. She is an active member of Cameroon Medical student Association(CAMSA) and is a passionate member of the Standing Committee on Research Exchange (SCORE) . She strongly believes that strengthening disease prevention and infection control is an essential strategy in combating antibiotic resistance.