Antibiotics misuse in animals breeds resistance in humans-expert

Plateau state Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO), Dr Sipak Shase-et, says that antibiotics misuse in animals is detrimental to humans as it causes antibiotics resistance.

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Shase-et, said this at the 2023 World Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Awareness week, with the theme “Preventing AMR together”.

The CVO explained that when animals were administered antimicrobial (drugs), there was a withdrawal period in which humans were not meant to consume their produce, till the withdrawal period elapsed.

He, however said most livestock farmers in the underdeveloped world failed to adhere to this.

He said when such animal produce was consumed before the elapse of the withdrawal period, it contained traces of the antibiotics which then built resistance.

“The failure to adhere to the withdrawal period breeds resistance, as the animal produces consumed has traces of the antibiotics. This then builds antibiotics resistance in the individual who consumed the produce. You would discover that when the individual is administered that particular antibiotics, the drug wouldn’t work as it has built resistance in the individual’s system. The Individual would have to be given higher antibiotics to get treated,” he said.

He called on stakeholders, especially livestock farmers, to ensure they desist from the abuse and misuse of antimicrobials.

Similarly, Dr Steve Dowoh, the State Co-ordinator, from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Safety, Plateau State Green House, attributed the rise in antimicrobial (drug) resistance to its use without prescription from a professional.

He said the essence of the awareness was to reduce the emergence and spread of drug resistant infections and to promote best practices among stakeholders.

NAN/Wumi