Based on data of the Hungarian resistance monitoring system the antibiotic resistance of Staphylococcus strains of human and animal origin was studied. No methicillin-resistant staphylococci harbouring mecA gene were isolated from animals in 2001. Penicillin resistance, mediated by penicillinase production, was the most frequent among Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from humans (96%), from bovine mastitis (55%), from foods (45%) and from dogs. In staphylococci isolated from animals low resistance percentages to aminoglycosides (0-2%), fluoroquinolones (0.5-3%) and sulphonamides (0.5-4%) were found but in strains isolated humans these figures were higher (1-14%, 5-18% and 3-31%, r espectively). The most frequent antibiotic resistance profiles of strains isolated from animals and food were penicillin/tetracycline, penicillin/lincomycin and penicillin/lincomycin/tetracycline. Penicillin/tetracycline resistance was exhibited by strains from mastitis (3), samples from the meat industry (31), poultry flocks (1), poultry industry (1), noodle (1) and horses (2). Penicillin/lincomycin resistance was found in 10 Staphylococcus strains from mastitis, 1 from the dairy industry, 1 from the meat industry and 6 from dogs. Isolates from mastitis (2), from the dairy industry (2), from pigs (1), from the meat industry (1) and from poultry (1) harboured penicillin/lincomycin/tetracycline resistance pattern. Multiresistant strains were usually isolated only from one and sometimes from two animal species; therefore, the spread of defined resistant strains (clones) among different animal species could not be demonstrated. These results also suggest that the transfer of antibiotic resistance of S. aureus from animals to humans probably occurs less frequently than is generally assumed.

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"Avemar pulvis" is a powder consisting of an aqueous extract of fermented wheat germ, with the drying aids maltodextrin and silicon dioxide, standardized to contain approximately 200 microg/g of the natural constituent 2,6-dimethoxy-p-benzoquinone. The results of toxicological and clinical studies of this product demonstrate its safety for its intended use as a dietary supplement ingredient in the United States. Avemar pulvis has been used in Hungary since 1998 and is approved in that country, as well as in the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, and Romania, as a "medical nutriment for cancer patients." Acute and subacute toxicity studies using rodents orally administered Avemar pulvis showed that dose levels (2000 to 3000 mg/kg body weight [bw]/day) exceeding the normal recommended oral dosage (8.5 g/day or 121 mg/kg bw/day for a 70-kg individual) by up to approximately 25-fold caused no adverse effects. The test substance showed no evidence of mutagenicity or genotoxicity in vitro or in vivo. Clinical studies using Avemar pulvis as a supplement to drug therapy in cancer patients at doses of 8.5 g/day not only showed no evidence of toxicity, but also showed a reduction in the side effects of chemotherapy. Overall, it was concluded that Avemar pulvis would not be expected to cause adverse effects under the conditions of its intended use as an ingredient in dietary supplements.

The amoxicillin-clavulanic acid combination is one of the most frequently used antibiotic combination in the human and in the veterinary practice alike. Wide therapeutic margin, bactericidal activity, broad antibacterial spectrum and adequate water solubility makes the combination theoretically appropriate for using it in the poultry industry. Although no MRL is established for clavulanic acid in chickens in the European Union, emerging resistance might necessitate the usage of clavulanate together with amoxicillin even in broiler chickens in the future. Clavulanic acid that has no antibacterial activity, but is a potent irreversible inhibitor of a large number of Ambler class A and D b-lactamases (Ambler, 1980;Brinas et al., 2002;Haginaka et al., 1981). No studies regarding oral bioavailability and pharmacokinetic parameters of clavulanic acid administered together with amoxicillin orally to chickens are available previously, although this might be the main route of administration in this species. These data are crucial in the planning of an efficient therapy and to ensure food safety. In accordance with their synergistic mechanism of effect the similar pharmacokinetic profile of the two substances could enhance their potency. Anadón et al. (1996) and El-Sooud et al. (2004) published pharmacokinetic data following oral administration of amoxicillin in chickens, but remarkable differences can be found between the two studies. Carceles et al. (1995) investigated the pharmacokinetic profile of the combination after intravenous and intramuscular administration, but without evaluating the kinetic behaviour of the drugs after oral administration. No data are published about the oral bioavailability of the amoxicillin-clavulanic acid combination in broilers. The aim of this experiment was to define the pharmacokinetic parameters of the combination in this species after single intravenous and single oral administration by gavage and to determine oral bioavailability of both compounds. This administration route is not in relation with a possible future application but helps to determine standardized pharmacokinetic parameters.Twelve healthy, conventional, female, 6 week old, Ross-breed broiler chickens used in this study were divided into two groups with six animals each. Acclimatization period lasted for 8 days at an ambient temperature of 20 ± 2°C. The animals were fed with drug-free feed ad libitum and were given tap water ad libitum. The investigation was authorized by the Hungarian Animal Welfare Commitee of the Szent Istvan University Faculty of Veterinary Science of Hungary.A cross-over pharmacokinetic study was conducted with a 2-week Ôwash-outÕ period between the oral and intravenous treatments. Six animals in the first group were treated intravenously in a single bolus with Augmentin Soluble Powder Ò (GlaxoSmithKline, Brentford, UK) at a dose of 12.5 mg ⁄ kg (10 mg ⁄ kg of amoxicillin-sodium, 2.5 mg ⁄ kg of potassiumclavulanate) dissolved in distilled water (Aqua ad injectabilia, TEVA). The calculated injection...

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