A team of scientists in the Highlands is set to lead the world’s first nationwide study into antibiotic resistance in cats and dogs.
Based in Inverness, the research group from Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) will work with the UK Government’s Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) to launch a new surveillance programme aimed at detecting antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in healthy pets.
The groundbreaking pilot project will be the first of its kind anywhere in the world to monitor AMR in a country’s pet population.
It will also play a key role in reducing infection risks for both animals and their owners.
Around half of adults in the UK own a pet, meaning humans and animals often live in close contact. That makes it easier for resistant bacteria to spread between them and potentially makes infections harder to treat or, in some cases, untreatable.
Scientists say that while antibiotic use is sometimes essential, it should be limited to when it’s truly needed to avoid contributing to resistance.
The new study will build on existing animal AMR surveillance work, which until now has only focused on a small number of unwell animals. It will be the first time that healthy pets across the UK are part of a national effort to track resistance levels.
Professor John Berezowski, based at SRUC’s Rural and Veterinary Innovation Centre in Inverness, said: “This initiative is critical for a better understanding of the transmission and maintenance of AMR in our pets.
“Our experts have worked hard to develop a practical AMR surveillance system. We plan to follow a team approach, working with pet owners and their vets as we explore how best to collect samples for surveillance throughout the UK.”
Abi Seager, chief executive of the VMD, added: “Antimicrobial resistance is one of the most serious global health threats we face.
“I am proud to launch this ground-breaking AMR surveillance project in healthy cats and dogs with SRUC, who have a proven track record in establishing surveillance programmes from the ground up, and this new study is a truly One Health intervention to tackle AMR.”
The World Health Organisation ranks AMR among the top public health threats globally, and the findings from this project could help shape future policies on antibiotic use in animals.
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