Toward One Health Approach: Linking Enteric Pathogens from Diverse Sources with Widespread Dissemination of Antimicrobial Resistance

Abstract

One Health is a multidisciplinary concept to provide optimal health for humans and animals and to protect the environment. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the components of One Health that cover its use and misuse in humans, animals, and environmental sectors, monitoring and generation of knowledge about the spread of resistant bacteria and resistance determinants within and between these sectors at the national and global levels. These activities might give many vital information to take appropriate measures that can reduce the risk factors in public health. The indiscriminate use of antibiotics in animal husbandry and their abundance in the environment generate substantial pressure on bacteria for the development of resistance. These antibiotics enter the food chain and affect various ecological niches due to bioaccumulation. Once selected, the AMR can persist for longer periods in many bacterial species. In several pathogens, it was shown that the persistence of resistance is directly related to the clinical use of antimicrobials. From the public health perspective, the patient/asymptomatic carriers act as a reservoir of antimicrobial resistant bacteria (ARB). There is a rapid increase in the burden of ARB in India impacting several sectors. In this context, it is important to focus on the trends in the AMR status of important enteric pathogens, the possible resistance determinants, and expansion of resistant clones among human, animal, and environment. Considering the Indian scenario, this chapter focuses on the AMR status on important enteric pathogens, antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) with reference to different hosts, and possible transmission by identifying the molecular fingerprints.