VMD-funded study calls on horse owners to help tackle antimicrobial resistance
UK horse owners are invited to join a VMD-funded study to help monitor antimicrobial resistance in healthy horses, addressing a surveillance gap in the equine sector.
A new study funded by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) and led by the University of Liverpool is inviting horse owners across England to participate in research aimed at improving surveillance of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in healthy horses. The HealthyHorseAMR project seeks to identify the most effective methods for monitoring AMR, which occurs when bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics, potentially making infections harder to treat. The study follows previous VMD-funded research into AMR in healthy cats and dogs, highlighting a broader effort to strengthen surveillance across companion animals.
AMR is recognised as a major global public health threat, with antibiotic-resistant bacteria capable of spreading between animals and humans. The UK’s 20-year vision to contain AMR by 2040 includes strengthening surveillance across human and animal health sectors. While the UK has established AMR monitoring programmes for livestock like pigs and poultry, gaps remain in surveillance for companion animals and horses, where tailored methods are needed to address sector-specific challenges.
The UK is home to approximately 847,000 horses, including those in households and professional settings such as racing yards. The close contact between horses and their owners creates opportunities for the transmission of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in both directions. The VMD-funded research aims to address this gap by exploring different sampling methods and identifying approaches that could support future representative surveillance in healthy horses.
The project, now in its second phase, will expand into citizen science, allowing horse owners to contribute directly by completing a questionnaire and providing a faecal sample from their horse. Participants will receive a sampling pack with pre-paid return packaging and instructions. The samples will help researchers evaluate surveillance methods and determine the most effective ways to monitor AMR in healthy horses, contributing to broader efforts to improve animal and public health.