The role of aquaculture as an environmental driver of antimicrobial resistance in Kwania District, Uganda

Abstract

Global sea food provides almost 20% of all animal protein in diets, and aquaculture is, despite weakening trends the fastest growing food sector worldwide(Bostock et al., 2010). Recent increases in production have largely been achieved through intensification of existing farming systems, resulting in higher risks of disease outbreaks. This has led to increased use of antimicrobials which has become a customary practice to control them.The selective pressure exerted by these drugs which are usually present at sub therapeutic levels for prolonged periods in the water and the sediments, provides ideal conditions for the emergence of resistant bacterial strains and stimulates horizontal gene transfer(HGT) (Santos & Ramos, 2018). These compromise the treatment of bacterial infections in the aquaculture species itself and increase the risks of AMR in humans through zoonotic diseases, consumption of the aquatic foods of origin or through transfer of AMR genes to human bacteria of clinical importance(Cabello et al., 2016). This study was therefore done with the aim of determining the factors associated with antibiotic use and KAP of fish farmers, fish pond owners and extension workers in Kwania district. A cross sectional study design of a structured questionnaire was used and a total of five sub- counties of Nambyieso, Akali, Inomo, Aduku and Abongomola were assessed with a total of 120 participants. A higher percentage (78%) of the participatants were male with only 22% females. Inomo Sub County provided more participants (35%) compared to any other sub countie. More than half of the participatants were aged between 31-40. The primary/ illiterate farmers were more and married participants occupied the highest percentage of 79%, All the participants (100%) admitted they knew about antibiotics and antimcriobials while 31% do not know about AMR. 69% of the respondents do not know the antibiotics in fish feeds and 17% said antibiotics can be used to treat common flu.The greatest percentage of the participants (46%) had fish that had not fallen sick yet, while when asked what their first response was in case of fish disease,50% said they would seek veterinarian help however, none used antibiotics in the treatment of fish. Three-quarters of the participants (90%) had not encountered any fish disease yet The highest percentage of the participants(61%) used the visitor’s book as a farm management practice. Almost all the participants (90%) do not use antibiotics. There should be stringent laws in monitoring AMU especially in aquatic environment.