Uneven Impact of Antibiotics on Human, Animal and Environmetal Health; A Review

Abstract

The widespread use of antibiotics has revolutionized medicine and agriculture, but their uneven impact on human, animal, and environmental health raises significant global concerns. In humans, antibiotics are vital for treating bacterial infections, yet their overuse and misuse, such as incomplete prescriptions and unnecessary prescriptions have led to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This threatens the effectiveness of modern medicine, complicating treatments for infections, surgeries, and chemotherapy. In veterinary medicine and livestock farming, antibiotics are often used not only for treating infections but also as growth promoters and for disease prevention in healthy animals. This practice accelerates the development of antibiotic resistance in animal gut microbiota, which can be transmitted to humans through the food chain, direct contact, or environmental routes. Resistant bacteria from animals have been linked to outbreaks of foodborne illnesses and zoonotic diseases. Environmental health is equally affected. Antibiotic residues, resistant bacteria, and resistance genes are released into soil and water through agricultural runoff, pharmaceutical waste, and improper disposal of antibiotics. These contaminants contribute to the enrichment of resistance genes in natural microbial communities, affecting microbial ecology and enabling the transfer of resistance across species and ecosystems. Solutions include antibiotic stewardship, surveillance of resistance, restricting non-therapeutic antibiotic use in agriculture, improving sanitation, and investing in alternative therapies. Addressing the uneven and interconnected impact of antibiotics is crucial for preserving their efficacy and protecting global public health.

KEYWORDS: Antibiotic, Human, Environment, Microbial, Resistance,