Professor Christian Agyare, a pharmaceutical microbiologist, suggests that the presence of low-quality antibiotics in the market is believed to be one of the major factors contributing to antimicrobial resistance in Ghana.
Citing several studies conducted by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) College of Health Sciences and other scientists over the past decade, Professor Agyare revealed that a biological assay conducted on penicillin samples obtained from selected markets in Ghana showed higher minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values compared to reference samples.
The studies found that out of the 54 samples evaluated, 61.1 percent met the specifications outlined in the British Pharmacopoeia (BP) and United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) monographs. Among the evaluated samples, amoxicillin demonstrated better quality at 82.8 percent, while flucloxacillin and cloxacillin showed lower quality at 31.3 percent and 44.4 percent, respectively.
“From these findings, measures should be taken to make these various sources of water safe for use in animal husbandry as these waters are a potential source of pathogenic and resistant bacterial strains which can cause infections in the animals and farm workers,” the pharmaceutical biologist cautioned
“Residual levels of these antibiotics in animal, poultry and fish products, water bodies and the environment are potential sources for the development of microbial resistance,” he disclosed.
During a Professorial Inaugural Lecture titled “Treating Non-Curable Infectious Diseases and Wounds with Natural Knowledge and Products,” organized by KNUST in Kumasi, Professor Agyare, who serves as the Provost of the College of Health Sciences, discussed various sources that contribute to the development of antimicrobial resistance locally. He also explored how natural products could be used to address antimicrobial resistance and improve therapeutic outcomes.
Also Read: Anthrax Outbreak: Temporary Ban on Ruminant Movement in Upper East
The lecture covered topics such as antimicrobial use in aquaculture, animal husbandry, and poultry, as well as the quality of antibiotics available in the Ghanaian market. Professor Agyare highlighted that many of the antibiotics used in animal husbandry were also essential medicines for human use, and the residual levels of these antibiotics in animal products, water bodies, and the environment could contribute to the development of microbial resistance.
He shared findings from a cross-sectional survey conducted among 400 poultry farms in the Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, and Greater Accra Regions, revealing that farmers reported using 35 different antimicrobial agents to manage various conditions in their farms. The study also indicated that farmers had easy access to antibiotics and related information from veterinary offices, vet-chemical stores, and mobile salesmen.
Regarding the resistance patterns of bacterial isolates found in drinking water used in poultry production in the Ashanti Region, the study showed that multi-drug resistant strains, including Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, and coagulase-negative staphylococci, were present. These strains are responsible for various bacterial infections in humans and animals, and a significant portion of the isolates exhibited resistance to cephalosporins and penicillin.
“Most of these isolates were resistant to cephalosporins and penicillin.” Prof. Agyare disclosed,
“From these agents, 20 essential antibiotics belonging to 10 antibiotic classes were identified. The most frequently used antibiotics were tetracyclines (24.17 per cent), aminoglycosides (17.87 per cent), penicillin (16.51 per cent) and fluoroquinolones (10.55 per cent).
“Only 63 per cent of the farms completed the recommended duration of antibiotic course, 58 per cent of them indicated that they do follow the recommended withdrawal periods and 88 per cent of the farmers sought veterinary advice prior to antibiotic administration.” Prof. Agyare said.
Also Read: Nogokpo Controversy: Archbishop Agyinasare leaves to USA following the wrath of Nogokpo Chiefs
Professor Agyare mentioned that a study conducted in three hospitals in Kumasi revealed antimicrobial resistance patterns in Staphylococcus aureus strains, with 32.1 percent of the isolated strains exhibiting multiple drug resistance. Similarly, a study conducted in fish farms in the Ashanti Region found varying levels of resistance to more than 60 percent of the antibiotics studied, including penicillins, tetracyclines, sulfonamides, macrolides, cephalosporins, quinolones, and chloramphenicol.
Antimicrobial resistance is considered a global threat to humanity, with an estimated 700,000 deaths per year worldwide. If not adequately addressed, the World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that the death toll could reach 10 million per year by 2050.
Professor Agyare emphasized the urgent need to confront antimicrobial resistance as a global challenge.
“Efforts must be made to stringently control access to antimicrobial agents that could be a saviour of mankind from the microbial apocalypse through the combined effort of regulators, prescribers, pharmacies and dispensary outlets,” he advised.
“Regulatory bodies must intensify surveillance to ensure that antimicrobial products on the market are of the required standard,” he advised, saying there was a need for a well-defined policy direction to improve antimicrobial stewardship.
