Title : Antimicrobial resistance in animal production: Mechanisms, selective pressures, and mitigation strategies within the One Health framework
Abstract:
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents one of the most significant challenges facing modern animal production and global public health. The increasing emergence of resistant bacterial strains compromises therapeutic efficacy, threatens animal welfare, reduces productivity, and facilitates the dissemination of resistant pathogens and resistance genes across animal, human, and environmental interfaces. This review examines the principal mechanisms of bacterial resistance, including enzymatic antibiotic inactivation, efflux systems, reduced membrane permeability, and target-site modification. Particular attention is given to the selective pressures generated by inappropriate antimicrobial use, especially routine prophylactic administration, growth-promotion practices, and prolonged exposure to subtherapeutic doses. These factors accelerate the selection of resistant microorganisms and contribute to the development of multidrug-resistant populations. The review further explores the epidemiology of resistance dissemination through both clonal expansion and horizontal gene transfer, highlighting the role of food production systems, water resources, soil ecosystems, and the food chain in the circulation of resistance determinants. Current evidence indicates that antimicrobial stewardship, biosecurity enhancement, diagnosis-guided therapy, and integrated surveillance programs are among the most effective strategies for limiting AMR emergence. In addition, vaccines, probiotics, and bacteriophage-based approaches provide promising alternatives that reduce dependence on conventional antibiotics. Within the One Health framework, preserving antimicrobial effectiveness requires a transition from routine and preventive overuse toward evidence-based and responsible antimicrobial practices. Such an approach is essential not only for safeguarding animal health and production efficiency but also for protecting public health and ensuring the long-term sustainability of livestock systems.
Keywords: Antimicrobial Resistance, One Health, Animal Production, Antimicrobial Stewardship, Biosecurity
