Genesis of Antibiotic Resistance (AR) XLIV: “Internal Locus of Control” Conferred Hardiness Reinforces “Herd Immunity”
Authors: Subburaj Prabavathy , Escobedo Julio , Martinez Thaliza , Kannan Subburaj 
Published: June 2021

In effort to delineate mechanism(s) that reinforce “Herd Immunity” conferring AR to the farming community, we have postulated a “Cogent Transmission Model” (CTM) in which community living confer and/or reinforce herd immunity induced AR transiently pausing ARP. Analysis of multitude of interviews completed from the period of January 2006 – January 2018 during the Maverick County Stock Show held in Eagle Pass, prompted a psychological‐socio‐economic review. Based on the analysis, here we present a psychological‐socio‐economic appraisal. We have observed that the social support system is a significant element for the development of hardiness circumventing contracting the infectious diseases. The benefits of social support system are intertwined with perceptions of personal control enabling the coping process. We have observed that during the interview process the generalized expectancies and events that reinforce the immunity to infectious diseases such as meningitis are within their own control and none else could play a role. It is our determination that this level of hardiness is referred as “Internal Locus of Control”. We have observed that a pattern of consistency on the confidence level of that each and every member of the community have considerable control over the events and events that reinforce the experience of overcoming the illness combating the diseases. This observation is consistent with the literature illustrating the effect of choice and enhanced personal responsibility for the aged in a long term care residential environment. Specific attributes such as dress code, freedom of control, caring for the livestock, code of conduct, commitment, patience, endurance throughout the process of the stock show incredible level of discipline and training throughout their life. Such a level of resilience draw a corollary of the hardy personality as identified in the ‘Personal Hardiness” by Maddi and coworkers (J. Pers and Soci. Psych 37, 1–11: 1979). Our observations are consistent with and also correlate with the Maddi and Co‐worker's postulation of “Personal Hardiness”. Traits such as a. sense of commitment to self, b. control over their life at the individual level and c. view and make adjustment as challenges arise rather than view it as source of stress. Taken together we suggest that commitment to self, control of self in a dynamic social environmental circumstances and readjustment to challenges separate them from rest of the society. It is our speculation that such hardiness in each and every individual of the farming community buffer the harmful effect of the stress engendered in caring and managing the livestock which is an unpredictable source variety of infectious disease(s) burden in particular zoonotic diseases. Despite the impeccable caring guidelines of CDC& P on how to stay healthy when handling farm animals, farming community is constantly exposed to this threat which is indeed in need of “Herd Immunity”.

Support or Funding Information

Supported by professional development funds by SWTJC to Subburaj Kannan

This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.