«Знания, отношение и практики в области применения антимикробных препаратов на животноводческих фермах Кыргызстана: сравнительный анализ за 2025-2026 годы»

Abstract

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing concern for public health and livestock health in Central Asia, yet survey evidence on farmer-level antibiotic use remains scarce. This article compares two consecutive farmer surveys on responsible antibiotic use conducted in the Kyrgyz Republic, in 2025 and 2026, to describe changes in antibiotic use practices, veterinary consultation, and AMR-related knowledge and attitudes.

Methods: The 2025 survey collected 210 valid farmer responses across seven regions (Jalal-Abad, Batken, Chuy, Talas, Naryn, Yssyk-Kol, and Osh). The 2026 survey collected 480 valid responses across four regions (Osh, Batken, Jalal-Abad, and Naryn), using an expanded questionnaire that added a vaccination module. Descriptive statistics were calculated for each survey year using question-specific denominators (respondents who answered a given question), and indicators with directly comparable wording and response categories across survey years were compared.

Results: Self-reported antibiotic use in the past year fell from 84.5% of respondents in 2025 to 77.2% in 2026. Over the same period, familiarity with the concept of antimicrobial resistance rose from 82.0% to 89.5% of respondents reporting at least some awareness, and awareness of the human-health implications of AMR rose from 80.4% to 84.9%. Among farmers who used antibiotics, the proportion reporting that they always consult a veterinarian before use rose from 73.2% to 91.8%. In the 2026 survey year, 88.9% of respondents reported vaccinating their livestock regularly, and 71.8% agreed or strongly agreed that vaccination can reduce the need for antibiotics; the most commonly cited barriers to wider vaccine use were lack of awareness about vaccines (26.2%) and limited veterinary support (23.1%).

Conclusions: Across the two survey years, self-reported antibiotic use decreased while AMR awareness and reliance on veterinary consultation increased. However, the 2026 sample covered only four of the seven regions surveyed in 2025 and was substantially larger, so the observed changes should be read as a comparison of two overlapping but non-identical farmer populations rather than a strict panel trend. These findings offer important evidence on the current state of antibiotic use and AMR awareness among livestock farmers in the Kyrgyz Republic, and the article concludes with targeted recommendations for the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry and other relevant stakeholders to strengthen veterinary services, extension training, and AMR-related policy.