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Poultry farms breeding an antibiotic resistance crisis

Poultry farms in Maharashtra. Concept.
Scenes from inside a poultry farm in Sangli, Maharashtra. Poultry farms in India are now widely known to be breeding grounds for antibiotic resistance and superbugs. In Mumbai, a recent study of samples of chicken meat and eggs from twelve locations found multi-antibiotic resistant bacteria. 

Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats facing Indian public health – and poultry farms are serving as a breeding ground for the crisis.

“This news is not altogether surprising, though this does not make it any less concerning. Research has uncovered numerous instances of poultry farms breeding antibiotic resistance”

A recent study of samples of chicken meat and eggs from twelve locations in Mumbai uncovered the presence of multi-antibiotic resistant bacteria. Samples of Salmonella bacterium were isolated from the produce, with each sample then being tested for resistance to twelve different antibiotics. Concerningly, one of the bacteria samples displayed resistance to all twelve antibiotics. The others showed resistance to a number of antibiotics commonly used to treat humans.

Senior research analyst Vikas Jha, one of the study’s co-authors, saidexcessive use of antibiotics in animal feed is one of the prime reasons for such antibiotic resistance.” Yet this news is not altogether surprising, though this does not make it any less concerning. Previous research has uncovered numerous instances of poultry farms breeding antibiotic resistance.

Live chickens being sold at a market in Kolkata.

“”Antibiotic misuse is common in the poultry sector…in humans, E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae cause infections which are becoming difficult to treat due to high resistance. Disturbingly, we found very high resistance in E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from the poultry environment. We found very high isolates resistance in E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from the poultry environment. In some of the isolates, all antibiotics that we tested were ineffective. If these bacteria infect a human, then hardly any medicine will work as a cure.””

In 2017, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) surveyed poultry farms in four states – Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. It extracted 217 samples of three types of bacteria from fowls – E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus lentus – and tested them for resistance to sixteen antibiotics, including ten deemed essential by the World Health Organization (WHO). Shockingly, all of the E. coli isolates collected were multi-drug resistant. The same was true of 92 percent of the Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates and 78 percent of Staphylococcus lentus.

“Antibiotic misuse is common in the poultry sector,” CSE Deputy Director General Chandra Bhushan said at the time. He went on to note that “in humans, E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae cause infections which are becoming difficult to treat due to high resistance. Disturbingly, we found very high resistance in E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from the poultry environment. In some of the isolates, all antibiotics that we tested were ineffective. If these bacteria infect a human, then hardly any medicine will work as cure.”

Live chickens in a store. According to research, irresponsible use of antibiotics is “disturbingly” common by poultry farmers.

“The presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and superbugs in poultry “has serious implications…We must remove antibiotics from the human food chain, except to treat sick animals, or face the increasingly real prospect of a post-antibiotic world””

Similar sentiments were expressed by Ramanan Laxminaryan, director of the Centre for Disease Dynamics and Policy in New Delhi. He was lead author of a study which uncovered multi-antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria in two thirds of surveyed birds across eighteen poultry farms in Punjab.

Superbugs were present in 87 percent of the birds who were intended for consumption. The same was true of 42 percent of birds who were bred for laying eggs.

The presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and superbugs in poultry “has serious implications” according to Laximaryan. “We must remove antibiotics from the human food chain, except to treat sick animals, or face the increasingly real prospect of a post-antibiotic world.”

Fowls being sold at the Chatikona market in Orissa, India.

“[India] is anticipated to become one of the world’s largest growth markets when it comes to consuming poultry meat as less and less Indians practise vegetarianism. Poultry has emerged as the nation’s favourite meat.”

Poor waste management from the poultry sector and overuse of antibiotics to keep chickens healthy and make them grow faster are among the driving factors behind this crisis. According to one piece of research, the antibiotics used to treat India’s chickens are among the strongest in existence. These are used without medical supervision.

Such practises carry ramifications not only for India, but for the world as well. India exported an estimated 7.27 thousand metric tonnes of poultry meat in 2018. Meanwhile, the country itself is anticipated to become one of the world’s largest growth markets when it comes to consuming poultry meat as less and less Indians practise vegetarianism. Poultry has emerged as the nation’s favourite meat.  

It is clear that efforts to curb antibiotic resistance cannot only address antibiotics when they are prescribed in a healthcare setting, but must also extend to how India rears its livestock. The National Centre for Disease Control has called for this to happen and the Food Safety Standards Authority of India has sought to do so, drafting regulations. Until that is the case, it is clear that no matter how many steps are taken to encourage medicos to be responsible with their prescribing of antibiotics, progress will be limited until poultry farmers get the same message.

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