Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is an emerging global health threat which is linked to the overuse and misuse of antibiotics. This study was conducted to understand the knowledge and practices of smallholder pig farmers on antibiotic use and resistance in Timor-Leste. A cross-sectional study using a structured face-to-face interview was conducted in three municipalities. The interview was piloted and implemented in the local Tetun language. This study found that knowledge of antibiotics was very poor as only 12.7% (95% CI: 6.3–23.9) of farmers reported knowing what antibiotics were, and of these only one was able to correctly explain how an antibiotic worked. None of the farmers knew about antibiotic resistance and were able to explain the concept correctly. After the definition of antibiotic was explained to the farmer, only 3.6% (95% CI: 0.8–14.9) reported that their pigs had ever received antibiotics, and the majority of farmers whose pigs had not received antibiotics reported the lack of access to veterinary services. When used, antibiotics were only used for treatment with no reported use for disease prevention or growth promotion. None of the commonly used antibiotics were critically important antimicrobials. Compliance with withdrawal periods was not routinely followed. There is a need to improve access to government veterinary services for farmers in Timor-Leste, while addressing identified knowledge gaps on antibiotics and promoting prudent use practices. The findings from this study serve as baseline information to inform future interventions.
Highlights
The rapid emergence of antibiotic resistance is a growing global threat that limits the effectiveness of antibiotic treatment which has been linked to the overuse and misuse of antibiotics [1, 2]
This study suggests that the use of antibiotics for disease prevention and growth promotion in pigs is uncommon among smallholder pig farmers in Timor-Leste
This study showed that the knowledge on antibiotics and antibiotic resistance is very poor among smallholder pig farmers in Timor-Leste
Summary
The rapid emergence of antibiotic resistance is a growing global threat that limits the effectiveness of antibiotic treatment which has been linked to the overuse and misuse of antibiotics [1, 2]. Several low and middle-income countries (LMICs) are reported to have high and inappropriate usage of antibiotics in the livestock sector driven by demand for animal protein. Disease is the most commonly reported reason for pig mortality [19], and Timor-Leste experienced an African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak in 2019 which caused high mortality in the pig population [22, 23]. Other pig diseases such as Classical Swine Fever are endemic in Timor-Leste [24]. The majority of veterinary services to agricultural households are provided by government-employed veterinary technicians and are free-of-charge [11, 25]
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