Study finds alarming levels of antibiotic resistance in poultry farms

A recent report revealed concerning levels of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes (ARG) in 11 out of 14 samples from poultry farms in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

The report "Poultry’s Pill Problem: Antibiotics and its Environmental Concern," jointly released by Toxics Link and World Animal Protection, scrutinized 14 samples of poultry litter and groundwater from six farms. The analysis highlighted a significant presence of ARGs targeting 15 antibiotics, including glycopeptides, carbapenems, and macrolides.

Gajendra Sharma from World Animal Protection emphasizes that poor animal husbandry practices, particularly in poultry farming, significantly contribute to antibiotic overuse. Sharma notes, "Farmers often use antibiotics preventatively and for disease treatment, resulting in high levels of residues in both food products and waste."

He stresses the urgency of addressing the root causes of antibiotic misuse in the poultry sector. He advocates for integrating animal welfare into national and state action plans to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR). 

"We must act immediately to safeguard the health and welfare of animals, humans, and the planet," asserts.

Dr. Vijay Pal Singh, Principal Technical Officer at CSIR-IGIB and Associate Professor at ASIR, emphasizes the significance of the study's findings. He states, "The results provide evidence of antibiotic use in poultry and its role in increasing AMR." He highlights the need for collaborative efforts with stakeholders to develop protocols and control measures to curb this trend.

Wary ARGs, concerning resistance levels

The number of identified ARGs varied significantly, ranging from 7,914 to 1,592 across the locations. Manure samples from Coimbatore had the highest concentration of ARGs compared to those from Vijayawada.

Multidrug Resistance Genes accounted for 25% to 45% of isolated ARGs. They were followed by glycopeptides, peptides, tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, and macrolides. The identified ones targeted fifteen antimicrobials listed under the new WHO's list of medically important antimicrobials, including carbapenems, glycopeptides, and mupirocin-like.

Pathogenic bacteria like Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were found in manure samples. These are harmful to humans and poultry, raising concerns about drug-resistant zoonotic pathogens.

Toxics Link's study revealed that poultry farmers are indiscriminately using antibiotics due to a lack of awareness and understanding of the potential consequences.

The report asserts that India heavily relies on its poultry sector, which accounts for a significant portion of meat and egg production and has the world's largest livestock population. Citing data from the 20th Livestock Census of India,  it reveals that the total poultry population (851.81 million) far outweighs the livestock count (535.8 million). This makes India the world's third-largest producer of eggs and the fourth-largest in chicken meat production by volume. Poultry production constitutes about 50% of the country’s total meat output.

ARGs worsen untreatable diseases

The report highlights that Antimicrobial Resistance Genes (ARGs) facilitate Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), making bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites unresponsive to antimicrobial medicines. ARGs are naturally occurring but their prevalence in the environment has surged due to human activities, especially the overuse and misuse of these drugs. Consequently, diseases like pneumonia, gonorrhea, post-operative infections, HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria are increasingly untreatable.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that at least 700,000 people die from drug-resistant diseases annually, including over 200,000 deaths from multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

According to the study, India accounts for 3% of global antimicrobial consumption in food animals and has one of the highest Intensity of Antimicrobial Usage (AMU) rates in the livestock sector.

The research highlights concern over the poultry sector as a significant hotspot for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as the nation intensifies animal farming to tackle food insecurity.

The study emphasizes that AMR can spread through various channels, including contact with animals or their products and contaminated food, increasing infection risks for veterinarians, farmers, and food handlers. Additionally, waste from poultry farms, like litter used in agriculture or aquaculture feed, can exacerbate AMR propagation across sectors.

In 2015, the World Health Assembly adopted a global action plan on antimicrobial resistance to optimize use, raise awareness, reduce infection rates, and foster sustainable practices. In 2017, India developed its own action plan on AMR, emphasizing the establishment of surveillance networks to regulate antibiotic use.

Associate Director of Toxics Link, Satish Sinha, is concerned about India's vulnerability to AMR risks. He emphasizes the need to revisit the National Action Plan. Sinha advocates for identifying hotspots, establishing monitoring and surveillance to curb antibiotic overuse, and adopting environmentally sound waste and effluent management practices.