Antimicrobial Resistance: A One Health Perspective in India

Abstract

One health is a collaborative, multi-sectoral, trans-disciplinary approach used to achieve optimal health and well-being outcomes that recognize the interconnections among people, animals, plants, and their shared environment. This approach is crucial because animals and people are colonized by the same bacteria species and treated with the same antibiotic classes; the technique is instrumental in fighting antibiotic resistance. The microorganism developed antibiotic-resistant genes, which were transferred to the animal and human population via the environment. Human activities speed up the organism to acquire resistance rapidly. The primary sources of antimicrobial resistance from the environment were improper sewage and hospital waste sanitation, effluents from antibiotic production units, animal husbandry waste, agricultural manure use, livestock, and aquatic sources. This study analyzed the various routes by which antimicrobial-resistant gene is transferred into humans and their pathway in India. The study concludes that implementing strict regulation and monitoring regarding the irrational use of antibiotics in animals, sewage disposal, waste disposal, and hospital infection control practices, and providing awareness to the public regarding antibiotic resistance can reduce the rate of developing antibiotic resistance to some extent along with implementing antibiotic stewardship programmes for veterinary medicine.