The Silent Threat: How Stray Dogs Accelerate Antimicrobial Resistance, Posing a Grave Global Health Crisis

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) stands as an urgent global health and socioeconomic crisis, threatening to reverse many of the gains made in modern medicine. This phenomenon occurs when microorganisms like bacteria, parasites, viruses, or fungi develop the ability to survive in the presence of antimicrobials, rendering common treatments ineffective. While AMR is a complex problem driven by the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials across various sectors, including human medicine, agriculture, and livestock, emerging evidence points to stray animal populations, particularly dogs, as significant reservoirs and vectors in its spread. The interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, often r ...