Context

Recently the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) published the surveillance data of the Indian Network for Fishery and Animal Antimicrobial Resistance (INFAAR) for 2019-22.

FAO Publishes First National Report on AMR Surveillance in India’s Fisheries, Livestock Sectors

• Sample Collection: Samples were obtained from 3,087 farms spanning 42 districts in 12 Indian states, and included fish or prawn tissues as well as pond or ocean samples.
• Bacterial Isolates: A total of 6,789 bacterial isolates were examined, including 4,523 freshwater, 1,809 prawns, and 457 mariculture strains.
• Resistance Profile: Resistance profiles were examined for Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species (CONS), Escherichia coli, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio sp., and Aeromonas species.

Key Findings of the FAO Report

• Resistance Patterns in Fisheries Sector in India:

• • Species-Specific Resistance:  Isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species were highly resistant to penicillin across all three Aquaculture  systems (Freshwater system, Brackish Water system and Marine Production Systems).

• • Variation Across Environments: Marine samples showed greater resistance to cefotaxime, but freshwater fish displayed substantial resistance to ciprofloxacin.
  • Aquaculture of Shrimps: Shrimp samples notable resistance to cefotaxime and ampicillin.

• Resistance Patterns in Livestock Sector:

• • Origins of  Animals: AMR profiles were determined for E. Coli and Staphylococcus isolates from cattle, buffalo, goats, sheep, pigs, and poultry.
  • Poultry Resistance: Poultry-origin isolates showed higher resistance rates to several antibiotics than other food animals.

Multidrug Resistance Analysis

• MDR Patterns: The report analyzed multidrug resistance (MDR) patterns in E coli isolates of aquaculture origin, revealing that 39 per cent of isolates exhibited MDR, which indicates resistance to three or more antimicrobial classes. 

• Detection of MDR: MDR was also detected in E coli isolates from food-animal samples. 
  • The most prominent MDR was observed against a combination of cefotaxime-enrofloxacin and tetracycline, with approximately 15.8 percent of poultry isolates exhibiting this simultaneous resistance.
  • Complexity of AMR: The detection of ESBL and AmpC type β-lactamase producers highlights the complexity of AMR issues.

About Indian Network for Fishery and Animal Antimicrobial Resistance (INFAAR)

• Infrastructure: INFAAR, founded by ICAR, consists of 20 laboratories, comprising 17 ICAR Research Institute Laboratories, one Central Agriculture University Laboratory, one State Agriculture University Laboratory, and one State Veterinary University.
• Collaborative Support: FAO and USAID provide technical help to INFAAR, improving its data gathering and analysis skills.
• Goals of Expansion: INFAAR’s expansion goals include adding more laboratories and improving surveillance coverage.

Antibiotic Use and AMR Trends

• Antibiotics Impact: Antibiotic use in food animal production leads to AMR development, necessitating surveillance to guide policy decisions.
• Production System: Three major aquaculture systems—freshwater, brackish, and marine—were investigated, covering a wide range of conditions.
• Panel of antibiotics: The antibiotics examined were amikacin, ampicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, aztreonam, cefotaxime, cefepime, cefoxitin, ceftazidime, chloramphenicol, co-trimoxazole, enrofloxacin, gentamicin, imipenem, meropenem, and tetracycline.

News Source: Down to Earth