Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing and serious threat to human and animal health, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
Globally, the main driver of the growing incidence of AMR in humans is overuse and misuse of antibiotics in human medicine. But antimicrobial use in agriculture to control animal and plant diseases also contributes to this growing drug resistance problem, although experts don’t know the contribution of agriculture to the problem in humans.
The greatest challenges and burdens of antimicrobial resistance will be felt by the poorest in poorer countries. These countries, with their rapidly growing populations, face rising demand for increased food production, yet their populations also tend to have poorer access to relevant knowledge, veterinary and health services. The countries face challenges in enforcing regulations and understanding and implementing effective antimicrobial resistance surveillance.
Addressing this growing crisis will require research on multiple fronts, as well as increased public awareness. To this end, researchers with the Zoonotic and Emerging Diseases group, a team based jointly at the University of Liverpool and the International Livestock Research Institute and supported by A4NH, have created an educational video to help explain this complex problem and immediate actions people can take to help combat it.
The video is also available in Swahili.
Visit www.zoonotic-diseases.org to learn more about the group's work. Visit the CGIAR AMR Hub to learn more about other work supported by A4NH in this area.
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