ANTIBIOTICS IN AGRICULTURE: BIOSECURITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

Pharmaceutical contamination and antibiotic resistant microorganisms in agroecosystems and food chain are major public health challenge. The pervasive use of antibiotics in agriculture, including animal husbandry presents significant challenges to biosecurity and environmental health. Antibiotics are commonly used to promote growth, prevent diseases, and treat infections. However, this widespread and often unregulated use has led to a marked rise in antibiotic resistance. The link between microbial infections and the overuse of antimicrobials is well-established, posing a serious threat to both human and animal health [1-3]. Contamination environment by antibiotics cuses formation of environmental resistome. The "resistome" concept, introduced in 2006, and refers to the collection of all antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) present in a particular environment, such as soil, water, or the human body. It encompasses both the genetic potential for resistance and the actual expression of resistance in microbial communities. The resistome is primarily shaped by the microbial community structure in the natural environment, but anthropogenic activities play a significant role also in this process. These findings have led to the development of the "One-Health" approach. One Health concept is an integrated, unifying approach to balance and optimize the health of people, animals and the environment. One Health involves the public health, veterinary, and environmental sectors. The One Health approach is particularly relevant for food and water safety and biosecurity, nutrition, control of zoonoses, pollution management including pharmaceuticals, and combatting antimicrobial resistance [4, 5]. World Health Organization (WHO) published a list of pathogens for which new effective treatment was urgently needed in February 2017. This broad list contains a group of pathogenic bacteria under “priority status” and named “ESKAPE”.