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The recent news of antibiotic traces in poultry meat is alarming and hazardous to human health in terms of transmission of antibiotic resistance. We are already concerned with antibiotic resistance due to improper use of antibiotics in terms of dosage, duration of intake and irregularity in taking antibiotics besides self medication by the patients themselves without knowing about the consequences. Antibiotic use in agriculture, livestock and industry is gradually increasing. Antibiotics are sprayed over crops mainly fruit trees to eliminate surface bacteria, also applied to the inside of oil pipelines to avoid bacterial growth. In livestock, antibiotics are used for disease prevention, treatment and promotion of growth. The low dose used for growth promotion is usually associated with antibiotic resistance of bacteria among animals which can spread to human beings causing worrisome untreatable infections. According to Collignon P (1), the use of antibiotic avoparcin as a growth promoter in food animals in Europe led to the development and amplification of vancomycin-resistant enterococci and subsequent colonization of a significant percentage (2% to 17%) of the human population via the food chain Collignon P also reported that use of antibiotic enrofloxacin has been approved for use in food production animals in many countries. This has resulted in the development of ciprofloxacin-resistant strains of Salmonella and Campylobacter. These resistant bacteria have subsequently caused human infections.
FDA (2) states that since the approval of fluoroquinolones for use in food-producing animals, there have been reports of development of fluoroquinolone resistance in campylobacter in animals and humans. The approval of these drugs in food-producing animals in the Netherlands, Spain and the United States preceded increases in resistance in campylobacter isolates from treated animals and diseased humans.
There were reports of the emergence of multidrug resistant Salmonella typhimurium definitive type 104 in the United States (3) and United Kingdom among animals and then to humans. Similarly, ceftriaxone resistant salmonella from the cattle passing on to a 12 year old child has been reported from Nebraska (4).
There is controversy over the impact of agricultural antibiotic use on the human health. Phillips I et al (5) are of the view that the risk of transmission of bacteria resistant antibiotics could be small to the humans from food animals and adequate cooking could destroy the bacteria, anti Gram positive growth promoters would be expected to have little effect on most Gram negative organisms. However, the risk could be explosive also in case of unrestricted use of the antibiotics.
Reliable data on antibiotic consumption (for both animals and humans) is not widely available in developing countries. However, it is speculated that the antibiotic use could be grossly under-reported in absence of an authentic database, and proper surveillance or pharmacovigilance mechanism. The recent report from India should be seen as a danger signal towards an unforeseen and pending epidemic of antibiotic resistance from food animals to humans. Rationalizing use of antibiotics for food animals is the need of the hour. Efforts should be made to establish a reliable database on the use of antibiotics among animals, a surveillance mechanism involving veterinary doctors, agricultural officers and doctors, put limitation on the availability and usage of antibiotics for animals (prescription based) and periodic reporting to the Health and Family Welfare Ministry, Ministry of Agriculture and Industry for appropriate actions.
References
1. Collignon P. A review–the use of antibiotics in food production animals–does this cause problems in human health. Manipulating pig production IX. Proceedings of the NinthBiennial Conference of the Australasian Pig Science Association (inc.)(APSA), Fremantle, Western Australia, 23-26 November 2003:73-80.
2. FDA. The Human Health Impact of Fluoroquinolone Resistant Campylobacter Attributed to the Consumption of Chicken, 2001.
3. Anderson AD, Nelson JM, Rossiter S, Angulo FJ. Public Health Consequences of Use of Antimicrobial Agents in Food Animals in the United States. In The Resistance Phenomenon in Microbes and Infectious Disease Vectors, edited by S. L. Knobler. Washington, D.C.: Institute of Medicine, The National Academies Press, 2003.
4. Fey PD, Safranek TJ, Rupp ME, Dunne EF, Ribot E, Iwen PC et al. Ceftriaxone-Resistant Salmonella Infection Acquired by a Child from Cattle. New England Journal of Medicine 2000;342 (17):1242.
5. Phillips I, Casewell M, Cox T, Groot BD, Friis C, Jones R et al. Does the use of antibiotics in food animals pose a risk to human health? A critical review of published data. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 2004; 53: 28–52.
Competing interests:
No competing interests
07 August 2014
Mongjam Meghachandra Singh
Professor,
Reeta Devi
Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi; co-author-Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi
Department of Community Medicine, MAMC, New Delhi and School of Health Sciences, IGNOU, New Delhi
Need for rationalizing antibiotic use among food animals in India
The recent news of antibiotic traces in poultry meat is alarming and hazardous to human health in terms of transmission of antibiotic resistance. We are already concerned with antibiotic resistance due to improper use of antibiotics in terms of dosage, duration of intake and irregularity in taking antibiotics besides self medication by the patients themselves without knowing about the consequences. Antibiotic use in agriculture, livestock and industry is gradually increasing. Antibiotics are sprayed over crops mainly fruit trees to eliminate surface bacteria, also applied to the inside of oil pipelines to avoid bacterial growth. In livestock, antibiotics are used for disease prevention, treatment and promotion of growth. The low dose used for growth promotion is usually associated with antibiotic resistance of bacteria among animals which can spread to human beings causing worrisome untreatable infections. According to Collignon P (1), the use of antibiotic avoparcin as a growth promoter in food animals in Europe led to the development and amplification of vancomycin-resistant enterococci and subsequent colonization of a significant percentage (2% to 17%) of the human population via the food chain Collignon P also reported that use of antibiotic enrofloxacin has been approved for use in food production animals in many countries. This has resulted in the development of ciprofloxacin-resistant strains of Salmonella and Campylobacter. These resistant bacteria have subsequently caused human infections.
FDA (2) states that since the approval of fluoroquinolones for use in food-producing animals, there have been reports of development of fluoroquinolone resistance in campylobacter in animals and humans. The approval of these drugs in food-producing animals in the Netherlands, Spain and the United States preceded increases in resistance in campylobacter isolates from treated animals and diseased humans.
There were reports of the emergence of multidrug resistant Salmonella typhimurium definitive type 104 in the United States (3) and United Kingdom among animals and then to humans. Similarly, ceftriaxone resistant salmonella from the cattle passing on to a 12 year old child has been reported from Nebraska (4).
There is controversy over the impact of agricultural antibiotic use on the human health. Phillips I et al (5) are of the view that the risk of transmission of bacteria resistant antibiotics could be small to the humans from food animals and adequate cooking could destroy the bacteria, anti Gram positive growth promoters would be expected to have little effect on most Gram negative organisms. However, the risk could be explosive also in case of unrestricted use of the antibiotics.
Reliable data on antibiotic consumption (for both animals and humans) is not widely available in developing countries. However, it is speculated that the antibiotic use could be grossly under-reported in absence of an authentic database, and proper surveillance or pharmacovigilance mechanism. The recent report from India should be seen as a danger signal towards an unforeseen and pending epidemic of antibiotic resistance from food animals to humans. Rationalizing use of antibiotics for food animals is the need of the hour. Efforts should be made to establish a reliable database on the use of antibiotics among animals, a surveillance mechanism involving veterinary doctors, agricultural officers and doctors, put limitation on the availability and usage of antibiotics for animals (prescription based) and periodic reporting to the Health and Family Welfare Ministry, Ministry of Agriculture and Industry for appropriate actions.
References
1. Collignon P. A review–the use of antibiotics in food production animals–does this cause problems in human health. Manipulating pig production IX. Proceedings of the NinthBiennial Conference of the Australasian Pig Science Association (inc.)(APSA), Fremantle, Western Australia, 23-26 November 2003:73-80.
2. FDA. The Human Health Impact of Fluoroquinolone Resistant Campylobacter Attributed to the Consumption of Chicken, 2001.
3. Anderson AD, Nelson JM, Rossiter S, Angulo FJ. Public Health Consequences of Use of Antimicrobial Agents in Food Animals in the United States. In The Resistance Phenomenon in Microbes and Infectious Disease Vectors, edited by S. L. Knobler. Washington, D.C.: Institute of Medicine, The National Academies Press, 2003.
4. Fey PD, Safranek TJ, Rupp ME, Dunne EF, Ribot E, Iwen PC et al. Ceftriaxone-Resistant Salmonella Infection Acquired by a Child from Cattle. New England Journal of Medicine 2000;342 (17):1242.
5. Phillips I, Casewell M, Cox T, Groot BD, Friis C, Jones R et al. Does the use of antibiotics in food animals pose a risk to human health? A critical review of published data. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 2004; 53: 28–52.
Competing interests: No competing interests