Climate change and antimicrobial resistance in foodborne bacteria: a one health perspective for low- and middle-income countries

Abstract

Climate change is increasingly shaping the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in foodborne zoonotic bacteria, creating an urgent challenge at the intersection of human, animal, and environmental health. Rising temperatures, extreme rainfall, droughts, and flooding alter bacterial ecology, expand environmental resistomes, and drive greater antimicrobial use in livestock and aquaculture, thereby intensifying resistance in Salmonella, Campylobacter, Escherichia coli, Vibrio, and Listeria. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face disproportionate risks, as climate variability interacts with weak surveillance systems, inadequate veterinary stewardship, and informal food markets to accelerate resistant infections. Evidence from LMIC case studies demonstrates how climate drivers exacerbate outbreaks and resistance trends; however, major gaps remain, including limited longitudinal surveillance, scarce genomic data, and the absence of climate-informed AMR risk models to guide interventions. This review highlights the need for integrated One Health strategies that combine climate-smart agriculture, strengthened food safety and WASH systems, robust genomic surveillance, and multisectoral governance aligned with global development goals. Without decisive and coordinated action, the convergence of climate change and AMR will deepen health inequities, undermine food security, and erode global progress toward sustainable health and development.

Keywords

Climate change / Antimicrobial resistance / Foodborne bacteria / One health / Low- and middle-income countries

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