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Antimicrobial use and resistance

The complex, yet very important issue of a one health approach to antimicrobial use and resistance is being discussed at a symposium hosted by the National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) in Columbus, Ohio.

In his remarks to kick off the antimicrobial use and resistance symposium on Tuesday, November 13, Dr. Lonnie King, Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at the Ohio State University said while the one health approach is counter to the approach being taken currently, it’s the right approach.

“I think it’s the best approach with our knowledge today,” said Kind. “Antimicrobial resistance is an issue whether in plants, animal or people, so as a consequence the solution will come from all of these groups.”

And in Dr. King’s way of thinking, who better to lead the one health approach than agriculture.

“I think it’s a wonderful opportunity for agriculture,” the Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at the Ohio State University said. “This gives us the opportunity for other people to see us as critical problem solvers in really difficult societal problems, we can, we are, I think we can very much lead the way.”

Dr. King adds that any consequence of inaction on antimicrobial resistance and agriculture is the most vulnerable.

“And inaction means that this problem is going to get more difficult and more difficult to solve if we don’t act today,” King said.

Audio: Dr. Lonnie King, Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ohio State University (5:10 mp3)