“If It Works in People, Why Not Animals?”: A Qualitative Investigation of Antibiotic Use in Smallholder Livestock Settings in Rural West Bengal, India
Smallholder farms are the predominant livestock system in India. Animals are often kept in close contact with household members, and access to veterinary services is limited. However, limited research exists on how antibiotics are used in smallholder livestock in India. We investigated antibiotic su...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-11-01
|
| Series: | Antibiotics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/10/12/1433 |
| _version_ | 1797506920570945536 |
|---|---|
| author | Jean-Christophe Arnold Dominic Day Mathew Hennessey Pablo Alarcon Meenakshi Gautham Indranil Samanta Ana Mateus |
| author_facet | Jean-Christophe Arnold Dominic Day Mathew Hennessey Pablo Alarcon Meenakshi Gautham Indranil Samanta Ana Mateus |
| author_sort | Jean-Christophe Arnold |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Smallholder farms are the predominant livestock system in India. Animals are often kept in close contact with household members, and access to veterinary services is limited. However, limited research exists on how antibiotics are used in smallholder livestock in India. We investigated antibiotic supply, usage, and their drivers in smallholder livestock production systems, including crossover-use of human and veterinary antibiotics in two rural sites in West Bengal. Qualitative interviews were conducted with key informants (n = 9), livestock keepers (n = 37), and formal and informal antibiotic providers from veterinary and human health sectors (n = 26). Data were analysed thematically and interpreted following a One Health approach. Livestock keepers and providers used antibiotics predominantly for treating individual animals, and for disease prevention in poultry but not for growth promotion. All providers used (highest priority) critically important antimicrobials for human health and engaged in crossover-use of human antibiotic formulations in livestock. Inadequate access to veterinary drugs and services, and a perceived efficacy and ease of dosing of human antibiotics in animals drove crossover-use. Veterinary antibiotics were not used for human health due to their perceived adverse effects. Given the extent of usage of protected antibiotics and crossover-use, interventions at the community level should adopt a One Health approach that considers all antibiotic providers and livestock keepers and prioritizes the development of evidence-based guidelines to promote responsible use of antibiotics in animals. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:39:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-24a9cd5be6c44989ba29323d603071f5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-6382 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:39:17Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Antibiotics |
| spelling | doaj.art-24a9cd5be6c44989ba29323d603071f52023-11-23T03:29:45ZengMDPI AGAntibiotics2079-63822021-11-011012143310.3390/antibiotics10121433“If It Works in People, Why Not Animals?”: A Qualitative Investigation of Antibiotic Use in Smallholder Livestock Settings in Rural West Bengal, IndiaJean-Christophe Arnold0Dominic Day1Mathew Hennessey2Pablo Alarcon3Meenakshi Gautham4Indranil Samanta5Ana Mateus6Veterinary Epidemiology, Economics and Public Health Group, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UKSouth Wales Farm Vets, Tynewydd Farm, Cardiff CF72 8NE, UKVeterinary Epidemiology, Economics and Public Health Group, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UKVeterinary Epidemiology, Economics and Public Health Group, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UKDepartment of Global Health and Development, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, 15-17, Tavistock Place, London WC1H 9SH, UKDepartment of Veterinary Microbiology, West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, Kolkata 700037, IndiaWorld Organisation of Animal Health (OIE), 12 Rue de Prony, 75017 Paris, FranceSmallholder farms are the predominant livestock system in India. Animals are often kept in close contact with household members, and access to veterinary services is limited. However, limited research exists on how antibiotics are used in smallholder livestock in India. We investigated antibiotic supply, usage, and their drivers in smallholder livestock production systems, including crossover-use of human and veterinary antibiotics in two rural sites in West Bengal. Qualitative interviews were conducted with key informants (n = 9), livestock keepers (n = 37), and formal and informal antibiotic providers from veterinary and human health sectors (n = 26). Data were analysed thematically and interpreted following a One Health approach. Livestock keepers and providers used antibiotics predominantly for treating individual animals, and for disease prevention in poultry but not for growth promotion. All providers used (highest priority) critically important antimicrobials for human health and engaged in crossover-use of human antibiotic formulations in livestock. Inadequate access to veterinary drugs and services, and a perceived efficacy and ease of dosing of human antibiotics in animals drove crossover-use. Veterinary antibiotics were not used for human health due to their perceived adverse effects. Given the extent of usage of protected antibiotics and crossover-use, interventions at the community level should adopt a One Health approach that considers all antibiotic providers and livestock keepers and prioritizes the development of evidence-based guidelines to promote responsible use of antibiotics in animals.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/10/12/1433antibiotic usageantibiotic resistancesmallholderlivestockpoultryanimal health |
| spellingShingle | Jean-Christophe Arnold Dominic Day Mathew Hennessey Pablo Alarcon Meenakshi Gautham Indranil Samanta Ana Mateus “If It Works in People, Why Not Animals?”: A Qualitative Investigation of Antibiotic Use in Smallholder Livestock Settings in Rural West Bengal, India Antibiotics antibiotic usage antibiotic resistance smallholder livestock poultry animal health |
| title | “If It Works in People, Why Not Animals?”: A Qualitative Investigation of Antibiotic Use in Smallholder Livestock Settings in Rural West Bengal, India |
| title_full | “If It Works in People, Why Not Animals?”: A Qualitative Investigation of Antibiotic Use in Smallholder Livestock Settings in Rural West Bengal, India |
| title_fullStr | “If It Works in People, Why Not Animals?”: A Qualitative Investigation of Antibiotic Use in Smallholder Livestock Settings in Rural West Bengal, India |
| title_full_unstemmed | “If It Works in People, Why Not Animals?”: A Qualitative Investigation of Antibiotic Use in Smallholder Livestock Settings in Rural West Bengal, India |
| title_short | “If It Works in People, Why Not Animals?”: A Qualitative Investigation of Antibiotic Use in Smallholder Livestock Settings in Rural West Bengal, India |
| title_sort | if it works in people why not animals a qualitative investigation of antibiotic use in smallholder livestock settings in rural west bengal india |
| topic | antibiotic usage antibiotic resistance smallholder livestock poultry animal health |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/10/12/1433 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jeanchristophearnold ifitworksinpeoplewhynotanimalsaqualitativeinvestigationofantibioticuseinsmallholderlivestocksettingsinruralwestbengalindia AT dominicday ifitworksinpeoplewhynotanimalsaqualitativeinvestigationofantibioticuseinsmallholderlivestocksettingsinruralwestbengalindia AT mathewhennessey ifitworksinpeoplewhynotanimalsaqualitativeinvestigationofantibioticuseinsmallholderlivestocksettingsinruralwestbengalindia AT pabloalarcon ifitworksinpeoplewhynotanimalsaqualitativeinvestigationofantibioticuseinsmallholderlivestocksettingsinruralwestbengalindia AT meenakshigautham ifitworksinpeoplewhynotanimalsaqualitativeinvestigationofantibioticuseinsmallholderlivestocksettingsinruralwestbengalindia AT indranilsamanta ifitworksinpeoplewhynotanimalsaqualitativeinvestigationofantibioticuseinsmallholderlivestocksettingsinruralwestbengalindia AT anamateus ifitworksinpeoplewhynotanimalsaqualitativeinvestigationofantibioticuseinsmallholderlivestocksettingsinruralwestbengalindia |