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Review
. 2025 Mar 28;13(4):779.
doi: 10.3390/microorganisms13040779.

Antibiotic Use in Livestock Farming: A Driver of Multidrug Resistance?

Andreas Matheou  1 , Ayah Abousetta  1 , Aphrodite Persephone Pascoe  1 , Demosthenis Papakostopoulos  1 , Loukas Charalambous  2 , Stelios Panagi  1 , Stavros Panagiotou  3 , Andreas Yiallouris  1 , Charalampos Filippou  1 , Elizabeth O Johnson  1
Affiliations
Review

Antibiotic Use in Livestock Farming: A Driver of Multidrug Resistance?

Andreas Matheou et al. Microorganisms. .

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) constitutes a pressing and intensifying global health crisis, significantly exacerbated by the inappropriate utilization and excessive application of antibiotics in livestock agriculture. The excessive use of antibiotics, including prophylactic and metaphylactic administration as well as growth-promotion applications, exacerbates selective pressures, fostering the proliferation of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial strains. Pathogens such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., and Staphylococcus aureus can be transmitted to humans through direct contact, contaminated food, and environmental pathways, establishing a clear link between livestock farming and human AMR outbreaks. These challenges are particularly pronounced in regions with limited veterinary oversight and weak regulatory frameworks. Addressing these issues requires the implementation of sustainable practices, enhanced antibiotic stewardship, and strengthened interdisciplinary collaboration. This review underscores the critical need for a One Health approach to mitigate AMR, recognizing the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health in safeguarding global public health.

Keywords: One Health framework; antibiotic misuse in farming; antibiotic resistance mechanisms; antimicrobial resistance; multidrug resistance in livestock; zoonotic pathogens; zoonotic transmission of AMR bacteria.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A timeline of antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance: from discovery to global challenges (created with BioRender.com, accessed on 5 January 2025) [6].
Figure 2
Figure 2
Antibiotic resistance causes and spread in Farming (created with BioRender.com, accessed on 5 January 2025).
Figure 3
Figure 3
PRISMA flowchart.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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