Antimicrobial Resistance in Veterinary Bacterial Pathogens: Resistance Patterns, Zoonotic Risks and One Health Implications

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as one of the most significant global health challenges affecting both human and veterinary medicine. The growing prevalence of resistant bacterial strains in livestock and companion animals not only compromises treatment efficacy but also poses serious public health risks through potential zoonotic transmission. Recent molecular and genomic studies have shown the widespread dissemination of resistance genes across different ecological compartments, emphasizing the need for integrated monitoring systems. Antimicrobial stewardship programs and evidence-based interventions are therefore essential in veterinary medicine to mitigate these trends. This is particularly important because the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens is increasingly associated with mobile genetic elements, such as plasmids, transposons, and integrons, which facilitate horizontal gene transfer within and across bacterial species.