Antimicrobial Growth Promoters Used in Animal Feed: Effects of Less Well Known Antibiotics on Gram-Positive Bacteria

Abstract

There are not many data available on antibiotics used solely in animals and almost exclusively for growth promotion. These products include bambermycin, avilamycin, efrotomycin, and the ionophore antibiotics (monensin, salinomycin, narasin, and lasalocid). Information is also scarce for bacitracin used only marginally in human and veterinary medicine and for streptogramin antibiotics. The mechanisms of action of and resistance mechanisms against these antibiotics are described. Special emphasis is given to the prevalence of resistance among gram-positive bacteria isolated from animals and humans. Since no susceptibility breakpoints are available for most of the antibiotics discussed, an alternative approach to the interpretation of MICs is presented. Also, some pharmacokinetic data and information on the influence of these products on the intestinal flora are presented

Potential water quality impacts originating from land burial of cattle carcasses

“…The concentration of total steroids and total veterinary pharmaceuticals observed in the leachate is presented in Figure 2. Peak values of total steroid hormones and veterinary pharmaceuticals were determined to be 21,255 ng/L and 11,980 ng/L with the highest concentrations of individual compounds being 17β-estradiol and monensin, which is widely used in ruminant animal feed [19].…”

The molecular biology of moenomycins: towards novel antibiotics based on inhibition of bacterial peptidoglycan glycosyltransferases

“…Their use in animal nutrition has to be vigorously questioned in times when medicine faces pathogens that are resistant to virtually all available drugs. Antimicrobial growth promoters trigger the evolution and dissemination of antibiotic resistance determinants among animal bacteria (Butaye et al, 2003), eventually narrowing down the options for the treatment of life-threatening human diseases. In this regard, the worldwide trend to ban moenomycins and other antibiotics in animal nutrition is a welcome move, which could allow us to prevent the disasters of the pre-antibiotic era.…”

The art of targeting gut microbiota for tackling human obesity

“…Strikingly, such effects have not been observed with antivirals or antifungals (Butaye et al 2003;Dibner and Richards 2005;Cho et al 2012). The weight gain effects from antibiotics observed in animals have been suggested to also potentially occur in humans.…”