Drugs fed to animals to promote growth and prevent diseases may play a key role in the emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria,

Sept 20 – Drugs fed to animals to promote growth and prevent diseases may play a key role in the emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria, microbiologists said recently.
The practice of administering large quantities of antimicrobial drugs “favours the emergence of drug resistant bacteria that can spread to humans through the consumption of contaminated food, from direct contact with animals or by environmental spread,” said Awa Aidara-Kane of the World Health Organisation.

“In addition, genes encoding for resistance can be transmitted from zoonotic bacteria to human pathogens,” added Aidara-Kane, who leads the WHO Advisory Group on Integrated Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance.

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