ANTIBIOTIC USE IN AGRICULTURE AND ITS ROLE IN THE SPREAD OF ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANT BACTERIA

Antibiotics were a significant advancement in medicine, yet infections from resistant bacteria are now on the rise, posing a major public health challenge. These bacteria can reach humans through food or contact and can cause severe illnesses that are harder to treat, leading to increased illness and death rates. Additionally, resistant strains can spread into the environment via animal waste, amplifying resistance in the environmental microbiome. The study explored the antimicrobial resistance profile of bacteria in soil, which is a highly diverse environment and a reservoir for resistance genes. In addition, the aim of this study was to isolate soil bacteria from compost and assess their antibiotic resistance profiles using the diffusion test method. In this study, 24 different antibiotics were used to evaluate the resistance profiles of the isolated bacteria. Results showed that 8 out of 20 bacterial isolates exhibited resistance to the tested antibiotics. 60% of the isolates demonstrated resistance to chloramphenicol and nitrofurantoin, whereas only 10% of the isolates exhibited resistance to gentamicin, representing the lowest observed resistance rate. This highlights the need for stronger regulations on antibiotic production, distribution, use, as well as global collaboration to support developing countries in improving antibiotic use and resistance surveillance.