पालतू जानवर अपने मालिकों को दवा-प्रतिरोधी 'सुपरबग' दे रहे हैं

Pets Are Passing Drug-Resistant 'Superbugs' to Their Owners

A recent study suggests that household pets may play a role in the global antibiotics crisis by transmitting drug-resistant bacteria to their owners. Conducted in the U.K. and Portugal, the research presented at the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Global Congress highlights cases of "superbugs" being passed between sick dogs and cats and their healthy human companions.

Lead researcher Juliana Menezes, a doctoral student at the University of Lisbon, challenges the conventional belief that humans are the primary carriers of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. The World Health Organization identifies antibiotic resistance as a significant public health threat, with drug-resistant infections claiming over 1.2 million lives annually and projected to increase to 10 million by 2050.

The study involved 43 households in Portugal and 22 in the U.K., comprising humans, dogs, and cats. While the humans were healthy, the dogs were infected. Samples from pets and owners revealed bacteria resistant to common antibiotics, with five households showing matching strains in both pets and owners, suggesting transmission between them.

Notably, bacteria resistant to cephalosporins and carbapenems, crucial antibiotics in human medicine, were detected in the study. Although all pets were successfully treated, the direction of transmission between pets and humans was unclear. However, the timing of positive tests in some cases strongly suggested transmission from pet to human.

Transmission can occur through simple affectionate contact or the handling of feces. To mitigate risks, researchers advise pet owners to wash their hands after interacting with pets or handling waste. Menezes emphasizes the importance of including pet-owning households in monitoring antibiotic resistance and advocating for informed interventions to safeguard animal and human health.

While these findings offer valuable insights, they are preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal. Nonetheless, they underscore the need for heightened awareness and targeted interventions to address antibiotic resistance in both pets and humans.

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