Antimicrobial usage by pastoralists in food animals in North-central Nigeria: The associated socio-cultural drivers for antimicrobials misuse and public health implications

Antimicrobials are used to maintain good health and productivity of food animals. Misuse of antibiotics in livestock contributes to development of antimicrobial resistance, an emerging One Health issue. This study assessed pastoralists' knowledge and practices regarding antimicrobial usage, explore pathways for resistant pathogens emergence and associated social drivers for antimicrobial misuse in pastoral herds of North-central Nigeria. An interview questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in randomly selected pastoral households. Descriptive and analytical statistical analyses were performed at 95% confidence level. All the 384 pastoralists participated in the study. Majority (58%) of respondents had no formal education. Only 8.1% of respondents knew antibiotic misuse to be when given under-dose and 70.1% of them did not know what misuse entailed. About 58.3% reported self-prescription of antimicrobials used on animals, while 67% of them reported arbitrary applications for dosage determination. Most frequently used antimicrobials were tetracycline (96.6%), tylosin (95.6%) and penicillin (94.0%). Identified pathways for antimicrobial resistant pathogens spread to humans were through contaminated animal products; contaminated animals and fomites; and environmental wastes. Improper antimicrobial usage (p < 0.001), non-enforcement of laws regulating antimicrobial usage (p < 0.001), weak financial status (p < 0.001), low education and expertise (p < 0.001), and nomadic culture (p < 0.001), influenced antimicrobials misuse in livestock. The study revealed low levels of knowledge and practices regarding antimicrobial usage in livestock. Socio-cultural activities significantly influenced antimicrobials misuse in livestock. Improve pastoralists' knowledge about effects of antimicrobials misuse and promotion of prudent usage in livestock will mitigate antimicrobial resistance menace in animals and humans.