This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Sadia Khalid, a Scientist-Physician (MBBS, MD) at Tallinn University of Technologye. 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 (AR) is a silent pandemic, a complex crisis that defies traditional boundaries and poses an existential threat to modern medicine. By 2050, it is projected to claim 10 million lives annually, rendering once-treatable infections deadly. This is not merely a human medical issue; it is a quintessential One Health challenge, where the health of humans, animals, and the environment is inextricably linked. The reckless overuse of antibiotics in human medicine and livestock farming—for treatment, prevention, and growth promotion—has turned farms, hospitals, and waterways into breeding grounds for resistant microbes.
The transmission pathways are alarmingly efficient. Resistant bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella from livestock can reach humans through the food chain or contaminated water. Meanwhile, antibiotic residues from pharmaceutical waste, agricultural runoff, and human excretion seep into soils and rivers, creating environmental reservoirs were resistance genes swap between bacteria. This creates a vicious cycle where humans, animals, and the environment continually re-infect one another, accelerating the spread of AR.
Even pathogens not traditionally considered zoonotic, like Helicobacter pylori, are part of this web. The rise of clarithromycin-resistant H. pylori is a direct consequence of antibiotic overuse, complicating the global effort to eradicate this gastric pathogen and prevent associated cancers. The success of H. pylori treatment regimens is therefore intimately tied to the prudent use of antibiotics across the One Health spectrum.
To win this fight, we must embrace a holistic strategy. This involves strengthening global surveillance of antibiotic use and resistance patterns, promoting antimicrobial stewardship in clinics and on farms, and investing in wastewater treatment to curb environmental contamination. However, an effective One Health approach must also be culturally inclusive.
For millennia, Indigenous Peoples have understood the fundamental connection between human health and the wellbeing of the land. Concepts like the Medicine Wheel, which views health as a balance of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual wellness, inherently align with the One Health paradigm. This worldview recognizes that the “health of the land is the health of the people.” Integrating this profound, place-based knowledge with Western science is not just an ethical imperative but a practical one. Indigenous stewardship practices offer invaluable insights into sustainable coexistence with our ecosystems, which is the ultimate key to preserving the efficacy of our antibiotics.
The battle against antibiotic resistance is a single fight on a unified front. By uniting human, animal, and environmental health sectors, and by honouring the wisdom of Indigenous knowledge systems, we can forge a comprehensive defence. Our collective future depends on this collaborative effort to ensure that life-saving medicines remain effective for generations to come.
About the author
Sadia Khalid is a Scientist-Physician (MBBS, MD) at Tallinn University of Technology. She is driven by a commitment to advance public health and scientific understanding. With research interests spanning molecular medicine, infectious diseases, bacteriology, hepatology, and gastroenterology, she aims to contribute meaningful, evidence-based insights that support health, safety, and community awareness.
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