Evaluation of antibiotic usage in swine reproduction farms in Umbria region based on the quantitative analysis of antimicrobial consumption

Abstract

Antibiotic use in food-producing animals has considerable impact on public health, especially with respect to the development and spread of antibiotic resistance. Pigs represent one of the main species in which antibiotics are frequently used for different purposes. Surveillance of antibiotic consumption and dose appropriateness, through novel approaches based on defined daily doses, is strongly needed to assess farms’ antibiotic risk, in terms of spread of antibiotic resistance and possibile presence of residues in meat. In this study, antibiotic consumption was monitored in 14 swine reproduction farms, together with managerial, structural, and health aspects. Most of the controlled farms (65%) were classified as at medium antibiotic risk, 21% at high antibiotic risk, and 14% at low antibiotic risk. Critical aspects of antibiotic administration concerned treatments for suckling and weaner piglets, oral antibiotic administration, treatment and diagnosis of gastroenteric infections, and use of critically important antimicrobials for human medicine, especially colistin. These aspects could be considered critical aspects of antibiotic use in from-farrow-to-wean/finish swine farms in the Umbria region and must be controlled to minimize risks. Even though a small number of farms in Umbria region are at high antibiotic risk, the risk of antibiotic resistance should be minimized, and management and biosecurity of the farms should be improved by extending the use of antimicrobial susceptibility tests and optimizing the diagnostic methods for infectious diseases. Furthermore, farmers’ and veterinarians’ knowledge of antibiotic resistance should be improved and the prudent use of antibiotics encouraged to prevent the development and spread of resistant microorganisms.

Antimicrobial Usage in Animal Production: A Review of the Literature with a Focus on Low- and Middle-Income Countries

“…Two studies reported partial data (AMU in feeds only) [ 55 , 62 ]. Of the remaining 15 studies, eight reported ‘overall’ AMU on farms [ 45 , 47 , 50 , 51 , 54 , 61 , 67 , 116 ], whereas 7 reported AMU for specific age groups (sows, fattening pigs, suckling pigs, etc.) [ 32 , 46 , 49 , 56 , 57 , 66 , 68 , 117 ] ( Figure 3 ).…”

“…Such studies may also shed insights into treatment practices for different diseases or types of animal [ 46 , 83 ]. Finally, they may also allow to identify production types, farm sizes, and animal groups at higher risk of usage [ 45 , 116 ], as well as problems with over- and under-dosing [ 50 , 54 , 60 , 74 ]. Because longitudinal on-farm surveys are time-consuming and require considerable farmer commitment, they may be affected by a low response rate, limiting their representativeness [ 50 ].…”

Exploring Perspectives on Antimicrobial Use in Livestock: A Mixed-Methods Study of UK Pig Farmers

“…Antimicrobial use in pigs has been under the spotlight with the formation of working groups and research initiatives striving to address this high use and to promote responsible practices (8–10). Practices commonly employed in the pig sector such as the use of antimicrobials for disease prophylaxis and the commonality of the administration of in-feed antimicrobials (11–13) have been associated with high and indiscriminate antimicrobial use (4, 14). These behaviors coupled with the relatively high sales of antimicrobial products, authorized for use solely in pigs, have highlighted pigs as a priority species in the UK and Europe for gaining a better understanding of prescribing and use (15, 16).…”

Improvement in colistin‐induced reproductive damage, apoptosis, and autophagy in testes via reducing oxidative stress by chrysin

“…Colistin causes the replacement of divalent cations (Ca +2 , Mg +2 ) in the membrane and subsequently kills the bacteria . World Health Organization has classified some kinds of antibiotic as critically important antimicrobials, including third‐generation and fourth‐generation cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, macrolides, and recently colistin …”