Global Trends in Antimicrobial Resistance in Animals in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

To meet the growing demand for animal protein in low- and middle-income countries, large-scale meat production systems that routinely use antibiotics for growth promotion and disease prevention have become more accessible. In developing countries where veterinary antibiotic sales remain unregulated and feed is less nutritious compared to that in high income countries, rates of antibiotic resistance in animals have the potential to increase exponentially. Although beneficial for short-term mass meat production, overconsumption of antibiotics in food animals has been linked to an increase in antibiotic resistant infections not only in animals, but also in humans. However, surveillance systems that track resistance rates among animals are currently lacking in low- and middle-income countries.