Research led by scientists at the Ineos Oxford Institute for antimicrobial research at Oxford University has found that wild birds such as ducks and crows living close to humans, for example in cities, are likely to carry bacteria with antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This creates an urgent need for policy makers and health services to consider the different ways antibiotic resistant bacteria can spread outside hospital settings.
Professor Samuel Sheppard, Digital Microbiology and Bioinformatics Lead, Ineos Oxford Institute for antimicrobial research and Department of Biology, Oxford University, lead author of the study, said: ‘Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a complex problem that affects not only human health but also animals and the environment. Wild birds have potential to transfer AMR over long distances to livestock raised for meat consumption and companion animals such as pets. This can have economic implications for agriculture, animal welfare, and food security.’
Find out more in the press release here.