Antibiotics: A Continuing Solution or Rapid Threat

 By: Elizabeth Juarez

The figure shows the relative abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (AGRs) detected in the three different group of animals. Yak showed a lower relative abundance compared to beef and dairy cattle.

For decades, the usage of antibiotics has helped the world in the fight against pathogens such as bacteria. Nowadays, antibiotics are an essential part of human survival, and they can be found in pesticides, medications, a wide range of household products, etc. Although antibiotics are a solution to many different diseases, in the long term, its overuse will produce antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) that will become a threat to the environment. One of the many uses of antibiotics is in livestock. They are added to animal feedings to promote growth; however, studies done in China found the presence of AGRs in the fecal matter of animals. In the study, 40 samples of fecal matter were collected from yak, beef, and dairy cattle. The results detected ARGs in all three groups with different relative abundance. These findings are of great concern because ARGs can be spread to the environment where bacteria can pass these genes through horizontal gene transfer. This issue is being overlooked and manufacturers are not regulating the production of antimicrobials increasing the risk of ARGs. It is time to decide if the best option is to produce more antimicrobials or to regulate its mass production.

Weiwe, W., Xiaojuan, W., Lingyu, W., Xiaofei, S., Fusheng, C., Bing, L., Xuzheng, Z., and Jiyu, Zhang. (2021). The occurrence of antibiotic resistance genes in the microbiota of yak, beef and dairy cattle characterized by a metagenomic approach. Journal of antibiotics 74, 508-518.