KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 8 — The Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) has reported a rising trend of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Malaysian farms nationwide due to excessive use of antibiotics in the livestock sector.
The Star reported last Saturday that DVS found samples of bacteria taken from livestock – including poultry, pigs, and dairy cattle – showed increasing resistance to certain types of antibiotics from 2022 to 2024.
Rising AMR in livestock was attributed to improper use of antibiotics, including wrong dosages, extending treatment beyond recommended periods, or using unsuitable types of antibiotics that violate regulations and guidelines.
“High usage of antibiotics for preventive (prophylactic) and growth promoter purposes, as well as poor farm biosecurity, also contributes to the issue,” the DVS was quoted as saying.
DVS reportedly expressed concern over the procurement of antibiotics without prescriptions, including via online platforms, leading to uncontrolled and excessive use in the livestock sector.
The Star reported that according to DVS, samples of Salmonella and E. coli isolated from broiler chicken, swine, and dairy cattle showed rising resistance to several commonly used antibiotics, including cefotaxime and ceftiofur.
“This trend is worrying because these antibiotics are often used for treating serious infections in humans like sepsis, pneumonia, and meningitis,” the DVS was quoted as saying.
AMR in food production affects human health, as drug-resistant bacteria in livestock can spread to people from contaminated meat that’s not properly cooked.
Drug-resistant bacteria can also spread to the environment when animals shed antibiotic-resistant bacteria or their resistance genes through manure and waste.
Food production is reportedly a major source of bacterial AMR, with antibiotics in agriculture and aquaculture often exceeding those in human medicine.
