Developing strategies to reduce both the transmission of important pathogens and antimicrobial resistance is of paramount importance
Since the 1960s, there has been concern about the use of antibiotics in food animals and its contribution to antibiotic resistance in humans. The increasing intensification of modern food animal production has resulted in an increase in antimicrobial use in livestock, for both therapeutic and non‐therapeutic purposes. There are a number of mechanisms by which antimicrobial use in animals affects resistance in human pathogens, such as transmission by direct contact and, indirectly, through food consumption and environmental contamination.1 Moreover, there is emerging literature stating that limiting antimicrobial use in animals leads to reduced resistance in humans.2
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- 12. Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use; European Medicines Agency. Reflection paper on the use of macrolides, lincosamides, and streptogramins (MLS) in food‐producing animals in the European Union: development of resistance and impact on human and animal health. EMA, 2011. http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/Scientific_guideline/2011/11/WC500118230.pdf (viewed June 2019).
- 13. Centre for Veterinary Medicine; US Food and Drug Administration. Guidance for industry. New animal drugs and new animal drug combination products administered in or on medicated feeds or drinking water of food‐producing animals: recommendations for drug sponsors for voluntarily aligning product use conditions with GFI #209. US FDA, 2013. https://www.fda.gov/downloads/AnimalVeterinary/GuidanceComplianceEnforcement/GuidanceforIndustry/UCM299624.pdf (viewed June 2019).
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- 15. Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. Australian Atlas of Healthcare Variation: antimicrobial dispensing [website]. Sydney: ACSQHC, 2015. https://safetyandquality.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/SAQ201_02_Chapter1_v9_FILM_tagged_merged_1-1.pdf (viewed June 2019).
- 16. Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. AURA 2016: first Australian report on antimicrobial use and resistance in human health. Sydney: ACSQHC, 2016. https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/AURA-2016-First-Australian-Report-on-Antimicrobial-use-and-resistance-in-human-health.pdf (viewed 2019).
- 17. McKinnell JA, Kunz DF, Chamot E, et al. Association between vancomycin‐resistant enterococci bacteremia and ceftriaxone usage. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2012; 33: 718–724.
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