References
Antibiotic resistance in animals: the Government's AMR strategy
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious and growing global public health concern with implications for every Government and the populations they serve. The Strategy, which adheres to the ‘one health’ approach, sets out a ‘call to action’.
The development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria in animals and food can also compromise the effective treatment of human infections, as resistant bacteria and resistant genes may be transferred to humans from animals and food (EFSA, 2014).
For example, a recent study found that humans and companion animals share MRSA bacteria from the same population, which suggests that companion animals may act as a reservoir for human infection.
Following such facts and overall concerns on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in humans, the UK Government published the 5-year AMR strategy 2013-2018 in September 2013.
The ability of bacteria to survive antibiotic treatment is a growing concern for both the medical and veterinary professions. The AMR Strategy forms a cohesive ‘one health’ approach to minimising the development of antibiotic resistance and protecting human and animal health and welfare. It focuses on three core themes:
Promotion of biosecurity measures and tailored farm health plans in the livestock sectors is a key theme of the Strategy; similarly good biosecurity in companion animal practice ensures that the spread of bacteria between patients is minimised.
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