Resistance to Antibiotics: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

http://www.ipsnews.net/2017/12/resistance-antibiotics-good-bad-ugly/
Date Written:  2017-12-06
Publisher:  Inter Press Service News Agency
Year Published:  2017
Resource Type:  Article
Cx Number:  CX21790

The growing resistance to antibiotics and other antimicrobials due to their overuse and misuse both in humans and animals has become an alarming global threat to public health, food safety and security, causing the deaths of 700,000 people each year.

Abstract: 
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Excerpt:

FAO goes on to warns that in the coming decades, the use of antimicrobials in animal production and health will likely rise as a result of economic expansion, a growing global population, and higher demand for animal-sourced foods. Indeed, their use in livestock is expected to double within 20 years.

"It is likely that the excessive use of antimicrobials in livestock (and aquaculture) will contaminate the environment and contribute to a rise of resistant microorganisms. This poses a threat not only to human health, but also to animal health, animal welfare, and sustainable livestock production -- and this has implications for food security and people’s livelihoods."

And the more antimicrobials are misused, the less effective they are as medicines in both veterinary and human healthcare, as the misuse drives AMR to evolve and emerge in disease-causing microorganisms, t adds.