ONE HEALTH- Awareness to Action Antimicrobial and Anthelmintic Resistance Conference – Teagasc

Resistance to antimicrobials is one of the major current challenges facing the human population. It is estimated that by 2050, 10 million people will die annually due to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) unless major steps are immediately taken to reduce antimicrobial usage. A major scientific conference, ONE HEALTH – Awareness to Action, Antimicrobial and Anthelmintic Resistance Conference, will be taking place to address this issue at the Tullamore Court Hotel, on Wednesday, 27 November. The conference programme was launched by Michael Creed TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

The event is being organised jointly by Teagasc, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), University College Dublin (UCD), Animal Health Ireland (AHI) and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI). The conference will focus on creating a greater awareness amongst farmers and professionals serving the agri-food industry. There will also be an emphasis on clear concise practical actions which can be taken on Irish farms to reduce their need to use antimicrobials and anthelmintics. Antimicrobial resistance arises due to the inappropriate use, and over use of such antimicrobials in humans and animals. When we discuss antimicrobial resistance we are primarily referring to antibiotic resistance. AMR means that the antibiotics we depend on to work in both humans and animals are no longer effective. Chair of the conference organising committee Michael Diskin said; “Antimicrobial resistance is first and foremost a human health issue, but it is also a One Health issue as the same classes of antibiotics that are used to treat infections in humans, are being used in our animals as disease treatment options. AMR also impacts on our shared environment, from agriculture perspective AMR is a major food production and animal welfare challenge requiring immediate mind-set and practice changes.” There are also major resistance problems to anthelmintics used on most, if not all, Irish farms. Similar to antibiotics, anthelmintics must be used judiciously to ensure that the efficacy of current products is maintained and prolonged. At the upcoming ONE HEALTH – Awareness to Action Conference, the morning session sets the scene and the challenges facing farmers and professionals. The national lead for the Health Service Executive (HSE) for antimicrobial resistance, Professor Martin Cormican, National University of Ireland (NUIG) is a key note speaker. Martin Kavanagh, Veterinary consultant, will describe the Scandinavian experience of farming without antibiotics, while Dr Aine Regan (Teagasc) will describe consumer demands for antimicrobial free food. Dr Dearbhaile Morris (NUIG) will highlight the role of the environment in the development and spread of AMR. Four Irish dairy, beef, sheep and pig producers will describe their experience of farming with reduced dependence on antimicrobials. In the afternoon session, there will be 6 concurrent 1-hour sessions where attendees can attend 2 sessions. The very practical and topical areas covered include: Selective Dry Cow Therapy; Responsible Prescribing of Antimicrobials; Calf Management and Health; Biosecurity, Medicated Feed for Pigs & Poultry; Anthelmintic Resistance in Cattle and Sheep; Lameness in Sheep. National and international experts will give short presentations with the most up-to-date information on these important topics followed by strong emphasis on participant interaction and on take home messages. The conference is free, but attendees must register on line. The full programme and registration are available at https://www.teagasc.ie/amrconference