Antimicrobial Use and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in Aquaculture: A One Health Evidence-Chain Review of the “Use–Environment–Food–Human” Continuum

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health and sustainability threat driven in part by antimicrobial use (AMU) in aquaculture. Using a One Health lens, this systematic mapping review (2000–Jan 2026; PRISMA 2020; PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, plus WHO/FAO/WOAH grey literature) examined the full transmission continuum: on-farm AMU → aquatic environments → seafood and processing → human exposure.

Evidence indicates that AMU in aquaculture selects for resistant bacteria and enriches antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) within farms. These resistance determinants can disseminate to surrounding waters and sediments via effluents, sediment disturbance, and farm-related movements. In aquatic environments, ARGs often co-occur with mobile genetic elements, facilitating horizontal gene transfer and expanding the environmental resistome. Resistant bacteria and ARGs may then reach humans through contaminated aquatic products, food handling and consumption, occupational exposure, and broader environmental pathways.

The AMU–AMR dynamic in aquaculture reflects classic One Health interdependencies. Priority actions include: reducing unnecessary AMU; strengthening prevention and biosecurity; harmonizing AMU/AMR surveillance across sectors; improving effluent and discharge controls; and enhancing hygiene and risk communication along the food chain. Research gaps include quantitative source attribution, standardized cross-sector monitoring, and stronger integration of molecular AMR indicators with measurable human health outcomes.