Antimicrobial drugs are key in the treatment of diseases, and their use is essential to protect both human and animal health. However, antimicrobials misuse in the livestock sector, aquaculture and crop production is a major concern as a risk for emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistant micro-organisms.
Key facts
In 2019, 5 million human deaths were associated by bacterial antimicrobial resistance worldwide, including 1.3 million human deaths attributable to bacterial AMR (The Lancet) | 27 different antimicrobial classes used in animals | Total global animal health market in 2011 was equivalent to USD 22 billion (OECD) | 118 countries reported quantitative data on antimicrobial use in animals between 2015 and 2017, an increase from 89 reporting in 2015 |
Publications
Tackling antimicrobial use and resistance in food-producing animals

Assessment of antimicrobial resistance risks in six Latin American countries 2019–2021: Integrated regional project in antimicrobial resistance

The International FAO Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring (InFARM) System and IT platform

News
1,400 pig producers in Colombia trained to reduce the need for antimicrobial and prevent AMR

The "One Health Legislative Assessment Tool for Antimicrobial Resistance" presented at 2022 World Antimicrobial Awareness Week

FAO urges collective action to tackle antimicrobial resistance





