Cow Dung Manure: The Silent Carrier of Death?

Ayushi Sharma | Raipur: Recent global research raised an alarming concern about cow dung carrying anti resistant genes (ARGs). Genes that spread antibiotic resistance in human bodies, leading to serious health threat where bacteria evolve to withstand the effects of antibiotics.

In simple words, even minor infections like cold-cough, fever, skin infection could become hard to treat and might lead to deaths, as common medications would not be effective.

In 1928, Alexander Fleming discovered the world's first antibiotic, penicillin. In the year 1927, the life expectancy of Indians was 28 years, which means Indians lived for this many years on average. Now in the year 2024, it is approximately 70 years. Antibiotics have an important and interfering role in this, which cannot be denied.

Cow dung in India is considered a symbol of purity, prosperity and agricultural utility. Both Central and State government have been continuously promoting organic farming through various schemes aiming at reducing dependency on the chemical fertilizers.

State like Andhra Pradesh has seen surge in the production of organic fertilizer as in the year 2021-22 the production was 25,006 metric ton while in the year 2023-24 the production resulted to be 18,58,652 metric ton. Punjab in the ear 2021-22 witnessed production to be 473 metric ton while in the year 2023-24 the production surged to 30,88,335 metric ton.

When talking about Chhattisgarh, organic farming has seen a surge in state as in the year 2021-22 the production of organic fertilizer was 2,166 metric tons while in the year 2023-24 the production of organic fertilizer hiked to 78,402 metric tons.

In the Bhupesh Baghel tenure Chhattisgarh witnessed schemes like Godhan Nyay Yojana under which there was purchasing of cow dung from farmers to create organic manure while also generating rural employment.

Cow dung related to Antibiotic-resistance?

The link is not obvious at the very first glance. But in the 14-years of international research, scientists now say that the cow dung and dungs of other livestock is teeming with antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). These genes can find their way into humans through soil, water, crops, air and food making us vulnerable to once-curable diseases.

Michigan State University and collaborators across 26 other countries analyzed over 4,000 samples of animal dung. The results were alarming as more than 300 types of ARGs were found, many of which are commonly associated with bacteria that cause serious human infections.

The study found that ARGs are now widespread in animal dung, and they don’t stay confined to the soil. Lead Scientist James Tiedje warns that these genes travel via contaminated water, crops and air making their way into human systems. Once they enter the food chain they make bacteria in our body’s resistant to medicines.

This crisis is even more severe in India. It is clear from the reports of the Indian Council of Medical Research i.e. ICMR and the experiences of the medical world that the common antibiotics available to us now are becoming ineffective against many infections.

Many hospitals are grappling with the crisis. ICUs in top institutions like AIIMS Delhi, Mumbai's KEM have been regularly reporting cases where antibiotics have stopped working on patients with sepsis or pneumonia. But these deaths don’t get registered as 'antibiotic resistance deaths'. They are silent and are rising.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), antibiotic resistance is already causing millions of deaths globally every year. Scientists say animal dung is a major source of these dangerous genes. These genes can spread in the environment through contaminated water, soil, use of fertilizers or waste from farms and then reach humans through food or water. If this situation gets out of control, treatment of common infections can become difficult or impossible.

The study also found that improper disposal of dung, such as putting it in the fields without treatment, further aggravates this problem.

Scientists prepared a global map, which shows which countries have the highest amount of these genes. The highest amount of these genes was found in cow dung in America and pig dung in China. In addition, these genes are also present at worrying levels in countries such as India and Brazil, especially in areas where animal husbandry is carried out on a large scale.

How did we come here?

India is among the top consumers of veterinary antibiotics. According to the Science journal, the risk of resistant genes in animal dung has tripled in countries like India and China in the past decade.

The core problem is the excessive and unregulated use of antibiotics in livestock farming. In India, antibiotics are routinely fed to animals not just to treat diseases, but to speed up growth and boost milk or meat production.

The misuse of antibiotics in animals is their easy availability. As per India’s Drug and Cosmetic Act, antibiotics listed under the Schedule H1 category cannot be sold without a valid doctor’s prescription. Pharmacies are required to maintain proper records of such sales, and drug inspectors are tasked with regular inspections.

Experts say that if these rules are strictly enforced, the misuse of antibiotics—especially in the livestock sector—can be significantly reduced. Farmers would no longer be able to purchase these antibiotics over the counter or use them for animal growth promotion without medical approval.

These antibiotics interact with the gut bacteria in animals and lead to the formation of resistant strains. These strains and the genes that make them resistant are excreted in dung.

These dungs are further used as manures or even sold commercially under government-backed organic farming schemes.

Scientists have found that in countries where the use of antibiotics in animals has been reduced, the number of antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs) in animal waste has also gone down.

For example, Denmark and some other European countries stopped using antibiotics to make animals grow faster many years ago. The United States introduced the "Veterinary Feed Directive" in 2017, and China also made strict rules.

In these countries, the number of resistant genes in animal dung has decreased over time. This shows that with the right policies, the problem can be controlled. However, more work needs to be done globally.

In India, the situation is different. According to a study in science magazine, the use of antibiotics in animals is increasing quickly, especially because the demand for meat is rising in low and middle-income countries like India. Antibiotics are being widely used in poultry and other animal industries.

As a result, more resistant genes are being found in animal dung. These genes are reaching humans through the environment, dirty water, and food, making it harder to treat common infections. The study found that the risk of resistant bacteria in animals has tripled in countries like India and China, which could lead to a serious health crisis.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has warned that if no action is taken, antibiotic use in animals could increase by 30% by 2040. In 2019, 110,777 tons of antibiotics were used globally for animals. This could rise to 143,481 tons by 2040 an increase of 29.5%.

The study also found that the amount of resistance genes in the dung of chickens and pigs in India is higher than in many other countries. This is especially true in places where animal farming is done on a large scale.

To solve this problem, experts say that antibiotic use in India must be strictly controlled. Important steps include safely disposing of animal waste, treating manure properly, and educating farmers about the risks. Using vaccines and other ways to prevent disease can also help reduce the need for antibiotics. If we don’t act in time, this issue could turn into a global health crisis.