Abstract
In Thailand, pig production has increased considerably in the last decades to meet a growing demand for pork. Antimicrobials are used routinely in intensive pig production to treat infections and increase productivity. However, the use of antimicrobials also contributes to the rise of antimicrobial resistance with potential consequences for animal and human health. Here, we quantify the association between antimicrobial use and resistance rates in extensive and intensive farms with a focus on geographic proximity between farm and drugstores. Of the 164 enrolled farms, 79% reported using antimicrobials for disease prevention, treatment, or as a feed additive. Antimicrobial-resistant E. coli were present in 63% of farms. These drugs included critically important antimicrobials, such as quinolones and penicillins. Medium-scale farms with intensive animal production practices showed higher resistance rates than small-scale farms with extensive practices. Farms with drug-resistant Escherichia coli were located closer to drugstores and a had a higher proportion of disease than farms without drug-resistant E. coli. We found no association between the presence of resistance in humans and antimicrobial use in pigs. Our findings call for actions to improve herd health to reduce the need for antimicrobials and systematic training of veterinarians and drugstore owners on judicious use of antimicrobials in animals to mitigate resistance.
Highlights
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a threat to the long-term viability of the animal production sector and potentially to human health [1]
This study addresses if farm-level factors that differ between small- and medium-scale farms—such as the number of animals per farm, use of antimicrobials added in the feed, presence of herd disease, antimicrobial use (AMU)—have contributed to the rise of AMR in pigs, farmers, and people in contact with farmers in the Khon Kaen province of Thailand
Small-scale farms held a median of 19 pigs per farm (IQR, 10– 36 pigs per farm) and three sows per farm (IQR, 2–5 sows per farm), and medium-scale farms held a median of 156 pigs per farm (IQR, 428–594 pigs per farm) and 215 sows per farm (IQR, 153–239 sows per farm)
Summary
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a threat to the long-term viability of the animal production sector and potentially to human health [1]. The increase in demand for animal protein worldwide has led to rapid intensification of animal production [5, 6]. Antimicrobial use has increased considerably, leading to a rise of AMR prevalence in animals and Antimicrobial Resistance in Pigs in Thailand humans worldwide [7,8,9,10]. Due to the concern of zoonotic transmission of AMR from animals to humans [11], this has important consequences for human health and for the longterm viability of the production of animals
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