Christy Echakachi Manyi-Loh
University of Fort Hare, South Africa
Title: Animal farming in south africa: Antibiotics use and antibiotic resistance
Biography
Biography: Christy Echakachi Manyi-Loh
Abstract
South Africa has a high burden of infections including a high rate of HIV and TB infections. It is equally challenged by a high
antibiotic resistance rate both from clinical and environmental settings. Th e country embraces a multi-disciplinary agricultural
system with the indiscriminate use of antibiotics. Notwithstanding, it is enriched with great plant and fl oral biodiversity. Th e purpose
of this study is to review in detail the types of antibiotics, and their dosage forms available for use in livestock farming and its most
striking consequential eff ect, antibiotic resistance. We equally describe ways through which the biomolecules enter the environment,
and their fate in the environment. Th e level of antibiotic resistance of bacterial isolates from diff erent environmental sources and
plausible ways of transfer of their resistance determinant was elucidated. Critical information and data relating to the topic were
explored and obtained via search engines including google search and PubMed. Data on the volume and pattern of antibiotics
utilization in animal farming are limited owing to drug counterfeiting, antibiotics are controlled by two diff erent acts and data on
percentage consumption by non-food animals is lacking. Majority of the antibiotics are implemented as in-feed to animals which
triggers the development of antibiotics resistance on long term basis. Zoonotic pathogens recovered from animal products have been
reported to aff ect humans, with varying levels of resistance which can be transferred via VGT or HGT. Th e environment can serve as
a hotspot for the transfer of antibiotic resistance. In totality, the assembled information is vital to public health care systems, farmers,
veterinarians, pharmaceutical companies and the society at large for the quest of joint eff ort in the prudent use and management of
antibiotics towards the fi ght against antibiotic resistance.