The Use of Subtherapeutic Antibiotics in Animal Feed and its Implications on Human Health

Abstract

Antibiotics were approved for use as animal feed additives in 1950 after it was discovered that their use increased growth rate, improved feed utilization, and reduced mortality and morbidity from clinical and subclinical infections in animals. Subtherapeutic use of antibiotics in animal feed grew extensively and concern has arisen that this "indiscriminate" use of antibiotics could lead to increased numbers of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and ultimately compromise treatment of human bacterial infections. Three recently published studies seem to indicate that animal-to-man transmission of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria is possible. Increased debate on the continuing allowance of antibiotic feed additives has ensued. The National Resources Defense Council has recently petitioned the FDA to disallow penicillin and tetracycline use in animal feed, and legislation has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives that would limit the subtherapeutic use of antibiotics in animal feed. Experts have predicted that meat prices would increase and meat quality would decrease if antibiotics are disallowed as a feed additive. It is the opinion of the authors that there is no conclusive evidence at this time to support the premise that subtherapeutic use of antibiotics in animal feed poses a greater threat to human health than if antibiotic feed additives were banned.

Development and Evaluation of a Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay Using the 16S rRNA Gene for Detection ofEperythrozoon SuisInfection

“…However, recent findings suggest that subtherapeutic use of antibiotics in animal feeds may pose a threat to human health. 9 If the US Food and Drug Administration were to ban the use of tetracyclines as a feed additive for swine, acute eperythrozoonosis in pigs of all ages could reemerge.…”

Using probiotics to improve swine gut health and nutrient utilization

“…The other is that the antibiotics used for animals were the same as those used in human medicine ( Casewell et al., 2003 , Dibner and Richards, 2005 ). The use of AGP was then incriminated as contributing to selection pressure, resistance reservoirs, and transmission routes ( Gersema and Helling, 1986 , Wegener, 2003 ). Following the ban on AGP use in Sweden in 1986, and the ban on avoparcin and virginiamycin in Denmark in 1995 and 1998, respectively, the European Union (EU) banned the use of avoparcin in 1997 and the four remaining AGP (bacitracin, spiramycin, tylosin, and virginiamycin) in 1999, on the basis of the “Precautionary Principle” ( Casewell et al., 2003 , Dibner and Richards, 2005 ).…”

Synthesis of silver nanoparticles by coastal plant Prosopis chilensis (L.) and their efficacy in controlling vibriosis in shrimp Penaeus monodon

“…However, techniques like sterilization to get rid of adherent microflora disturb the balance of microbial communities and favour exponential growth of opportunistic bacteria (Baticados et al 1990). The usage of antibiotics is another option, but the indiscriminate use of antibiotics has led to an increased number of antibacterial-resistant bacteria, and ultimately compromises the treatment of bacterial infections in humans (Gersema and Helling 1986;McDermott et al 2002). The emergence of multi-resistant bacteria to antibacterial drugs has increased the need for new alternatives against microbial pathogens (Tollefson and Miller 2000).…”