Antibiotic Resistance Reaches Alarming levels in AP’s Poultry Farms

The Capital News 

Vijayawada: May 10: A collaborative research led by Toxics Link and World Animal Protection has brought to light alarming levels of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes (ARGs) in poultry samples across Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Even more concerning is the continued accessibility of banned antibiotics through online platforms for use in food-producing animals.

The study, documented in the report “Poultry’s Pill Problem: Antibiotics and its Environmental Concern,” revealed distressing findings from 14 meticulously analysed samples obtained from six diverse poultry farms. Shockingly, 11 of these samples exhibited elevated levels of ARGs resistant to 15 pivotal antibiotics, including glycopeptides, carbapenems, and macrolides.

The investigation, supplemented by comprehensive offline and online surveys orchestrated by Toxics Link, uncovered a troubling trend of antibiotic misuse among poultry farmers. This misuse stems primarily from a pervasive lack of awareness regarding the potential repercussions. Despite explicit recommendations against the use of Antibiotic Growth Promoters (AGPs) in poultry feeds by the Bureau of Indian Standards, these promoters persist in circulation, exacerbating the menace of antibiotic resistance. Adding to the complexity, banned antibiotics such as Colistin, essential for combating multidrug-resistant infections, remain accessible through online platforms for use in food-producing animals.

Key revelations from the study include the stark contrast in ARG levels between manure samples from Coimbatore and Vijayawada, with Coimbatore exhibiting significantly higher ARG concentrations. Additionally, the prevalence of Multidrug Resistance Genes, constituting a substantial portion of all ARGs isolated in the samples, rings alarm bells, signaling a dire need for immediate intervention. The identified ARGs targeting fifteen antimicrobials enlisted under the New WHO’s List of Medically Important Antimicrobials further underscore the complexity and gravity of the situation.

Furthermore, the presence of pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae in manure samples raises grave concerns about the emergence of drug-resistant zoonotic pathogens, posing a dual threat to human and poultry health alike.

The study’s survey findings have highlighted critical issues ranging from unregulated poultry feeds to farmer ignorance regarding Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) risks, along with the continued availability of banned antibiotics in online retail domains.

As the specter of AMR looms large, rendering traditional treatments ineffective against a myriad of infections, urgent action is imperative. World Animal Protection and Toxics Link advocate for swift and decisive measures to curb antibiotic misuse in the poultry sector, emphasising the need to combat the escalating threat of AMR gripping India’s agricultural landscape.