2011-07-14-114 Antimicrobial resistance, human, animal - EU: EFSA/ECDC report To: (18) Resistance of microorganisms; (27) Scientific information ************************************************* ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE, HUMAN, ANIMAL - EUROPEAN UNION: EFSA/ECDC REPORT ************************************************************************** A ProMED-mail post Date: Tue 12 Jul 2011 Source: European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) [edited] EFSA and ECDC publish 1st joint report on antimicrobial resistance in zoonotic bacteria affecting humans, animals, and food ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Scientists at 2 European Union agencies have combined their expertise to analyse Member State data and compile the 1st joint EU report on antimicrobial resistance in zoonotic bacteria affecting humans, animals, and food. Compiled by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the report indicates that resistance to antimicrobials was observed in zoonotic bacteria, such as _Salmonella_ and _Campylobacter_, which may cause infectious diseases transmissible between animals and humans and which can be found in foods. The report also presents antimicrobial resistance data for non-disease causing bacteria such as indicator _E. coli_ and Enterococci, that usually do not cause disease in humans [*1]. The report makes an important contribution to current work being carried out at European level and the findings will be considered by the European Commission as it develops its forthcoming proposals for action to fight antimicrobial resistance. "EFSA has joined ranks with ECDC and Member States to provide policymakers with this important benchmark report," said Dr Hubert Deluyker, EFSA's Director of Risk Assessment and Scientific Assistance. "Recognising the important public health threat from antimicrobial resistance, these 2 agencies, in close collaboration with their colleagues in various other institutions in Europe, are leading the way in harmonising methodologies for data collection across the EU from the medical, veterinary, and food sectors." ECDC Director, Marc Sprenger, added "Our shared aim is to harmonise the surveillance and monitoring of antimicrobial resistance in infections that are transmitted between animals and humans. This information is critical to inform decisions on the control of antimicrobial resistant infections that affect a growing number of people across Europe." Antimicrobials are used in human and veterinary medicine to eliminate micro-organisms causing infections, such as bacteria. In food-producing animals, the antimicrobials used to treat various infectious diseases may be the same or similar to those used for humans. Resistance to antimicrobials occurs when the micro-organisms develop mechanisms that reduce their effectiveness or render their use ineffective. Resistant bacteria can spread through many routes. When antimicrobial resistance occurs in zoonotic bacteria present in animals and food it can also compromise the effective treatment of infectious diseases in humans. The report, based on 2009 data, shows that a high proportion of _Campylobacter_ in humans is resistant to a critically important antibiotic for the treatment of human diseases: ciprofloxacin, which belongs to the fluoroquinolones group. In animals, a high or moderate proportion of _Salmonella_ (in chickens), _Campylobacter_, and non-disease-causing _E. coli_ was also found to be resistant to this antibiotic. A low proportion of _Salmonella_ in humans and of _Salmonella_ and non-disease-causing _E. coli_ in animals was found to be resistant to 3rd generation cephalosporins, a type of antibiotic, considered by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to be critically important in human medicine.
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[*1]. The _E. coli_ and Enterococci bacteria analysed in the report were non-pathogenic, that is, do not cause diseases. The report only includes data on resistance in _E. coli_ from animals and food, not from humans]. Key findings of the report -------------------------- 1. Humans - _Campylobacter_: in humans, high levels of resistance were recorded for the antimicrobial ciprofloxacin (47 percent) as well as for resistance to ampicillin (43 percent) and nalidixic acid (40 percent). Resistance to another important antimicrobial -- erythromycin -- was low (3.1 percent). - _Salmonella_: the report shows that resistance to common antimicrobials like ampicillin, tetracycline, and sulphonamide was moderate, with around 20 percent of the tested bacteria considered resistant. Resistance to clinically important antimicrobials -- 3rd- generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones -- was below 10 percent. - _E. coli_: the report did not include data on resistance to antimicrobials in _E. coli_ in humans. 2. Animals - In animals, _Campylobacter_ also showed high levels of resistance to ciprofloxacin. This was in particular the case for chickens (46 percent in _Campylobacter jejuni_ and 78 percent in the _Campylobacter coli_) and also pigs (50 percent in _Campylobacter coli_). - _Salmonella_: in animals, high levels of resistance were recorded for ampicillin, tetracycline, and sulphonamide in pigs and pig meat (47-60 percent), cattle (37-40 percent), and chicken meat (27-33 percent). A moderate level of resistance to ciprofloxacin was recorded in chickens and chicken meat (around 20 percent). - Non-disease causing _E. coli_ showed high levels of resistance to tetracycline, ampicillin, and sulphonamide in pigs and chicken; and _E. coli_ was found to be resistant to ciprofloxacin in chicken (47 percent) and also in pigs (12 percent). The occurrence of 3rd-generation cephalosporin resistance was still low. -- Communicated by: ProMED-mail <[email protected]> [The complete Scientific Report of EFSA and ECDC (324 pages) is available at - Mod.AS] [The presence of antibiotic resistance genes in non-pathogens, such as commensal gut _Escherichia coli_, is not necessarily innocuous and may constitute an important reservoir of resistance genes ). Genes that encode for antibiotic resistance are often located on mobile genetic elements that can move between bacteria of the same species and even can move across species and genus boundaries. Resistance can then be transferred in a horizontal fashion from non-pathogens to a variety of pathogenic species. Because genes that encode antibiotic resistance are often linked together, gene transfer can result in resistance to multiple antibiotics. - Mod.ML] [see also: 2010 ---- Gram negative bacilli, resistant, update (01): NDM-1, KPC 20101028.3908
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Acinetobacter, resistant, fatal - Japan: (Tokyo) RFI 20100907.3203 E. coli ST131 - USA: emerging drug-resistant pathogen, corr. 20100804.2635 E. coli ST131 - USA: emerging drug-resistant pathogen worldwide 20100803.2607 Vancomycin resistant enterococci - Sweden 20100727.2515 Antimicrobial resistance monitoring - USA: 2007 report 20100506.1471 1997 ---- Antimicrobial resistance transfer, animals to humans: RFI 19970522.1047]
CENTAUR GLOBAL NETWORK INFORMATION Source: http://centaur.vri.cz.web.atin.cz/docs/cnfi/2011-07-14-114.pdf
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