Lead Researcher:
Dr. Rozaihan Mansor, UPM
Co-researchers:
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Noraziah Mohamad Zin, UKM
Dr. Nur Indah Ahmad, UPM
Dr. Sharifah Salmah Syed Hussain, UPM
Project Summary
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has been regarded as a shared global problem in human and animal populations due to an overwhelming increase in the emergence of resistant microorganisms towards antimicrobials. In veterinary medicine, antimicrobials should be seen as vital medicines and farmer’s responsibility to control this incidence is crucial through prudent use of antimicrobials in their livestock. This community grant entitled ‘Understanding the perception and knowledge on antimicrobial (AM) usage and AMR among ruminant farmers in Selangor’ aims to assess the farmers and farm workers’ perception and knowledge on AMR and AM usage in ruminant livestock. Other than that is to identify factors influencing the antibiotic usage in ruminant farming and lastly to educate and increase the level of awareness among farmers and farm workers in Selangor on AMR and responsible AM usage in ruminant farming. A set of a questionnaire (English and Bahasa Malaysia) was distributed to a number of ruminant farmers around Selangor identified from Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) Selangor to collect information on the level of awareness on antimicrobial usage and antimicrobial resistance among ruminant farmers. As part of the educational program, a seminar was done on 7th September 2017 at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, UPM whereby questionnaires were also distributed among the participants. Awareness campaign and poster presentations on the prudent use of antimicrobials and AMR were delivered by Dr. Redzuan Ibrahim from DVS Putrajaya and Prof. Dr. Saleha Abdul Aziz. There was also a laboratory demonstration from Bacteriology Laboratory by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Siti Khairani Bejo in which the participants were given a chance to perform swabbing of any surfaces on blood agars and how bacterial isolation and antimicrobial sensitivity test was done in a laboratory. It is hoped that through this knowledge transfer, it will benefit the ruminant farmers’ community about the importance to a better understanding on AMR and its impact on human and animal health. In return, this activity serves as a platform for the One Health professionals to integrate knowledge and ultimately promoting habits that reduce antibiotic use among farmers and increasing their risk awareness related to antibiotics in ruminant husbandry.