Mitigating Antibiotic Resistance at the Livestock-Environment Interface:A Review

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Environmental Science
• Public Health

Background:

• Antimicrobial resistance (AR) poses a significant global health risk.
• The food animal industry is a key contributor to the increasing prevalence of AR.
• Factors like antibiotic use and farm management influence AR occurrence and spread.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and summarize strategies for mitigating AR.
• Focus on the environment-livestock interface.
• Address AR in food-producing animals exposed to environmental factors.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of existing studies on AR in food animals.
• Analysis of factors contributing to AR at the environment-livestock interface.
• Identification of potential mitigation strategies.

Main Results:

• Antibiotic use and farm management practices are critical drivers of AR.
• Environmental contamination plays a role in AR dissemination.
• Limited effective strategies currently exist for mitigating AR in exposed animals.

Conclusions:

• Effective AR mitigation requires a focus on the environment-livestock interface.
• Integrated strategies addressing antibiotic use and farm management are needed.
• Further research into novel mitigation approaches is essential.