Microbes and Beneficial Microbes

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.