Impact of animal management and rural household environments on antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance is a critical planetary health threat that endangers human health, biodiversity, and microbial ecosystems. In rural, low-income country settings, unimproved housing, animal cohabitation, unhygienic livestock management, and improper antimicrobial use could foment the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This One Health study will investigate how chicken management practices and household floor materials impact AMR colonization in pregnant mothers and children from birth to age 2 years in rural Bangladesh. One Health is a holistic research approach that acknowledges the compounding effects of climate change, population growth, and disease spread and seeks to achieve healthy outcomes, for people, animals, and the environment. This research aims to inform targeted interventions addressing the nexus of animal husbandry and rural housing to mitigate AMR. The interdisciplinary team will integrate epidemiology, environmental microbiology, and veterinary science and foster international collaboration between scientists in the U.S. and Bangladesh.

Above: Chickens at a local market in Bangladesh. Image credit: pandamatto / iStock