Why are there concerns about veterinary drug use and bacterial resistance?
The long-term use of animal feed supplemented with low doses of antimicrobials has come under the greatest scrutiny. The main concern has focused on potential emergence of antimicrobial resistance. Scientists have determined that the potential for antibiotic resistance to occur in food borne bacteria exists, but using science-based risk analysis, assess the human medical consequence as low. It is thought that the growing problem of human infections that are difficult to treat due to antimicrobial resistance is rooted in antimicrobial overuse and inappropriate use of antibiotics in human medicine with antimicrobial resistance in food borne bacteria being only a smaller contributor. The World Health Organistion (WHO) with the participation of the Office Internationale des Epizootes and the Food and Agriculture Organisation, have developed global guidelines for the containment of antimicrobial resistance in animals intended for food. These principles include “Prudent or Judicious Use” for
