Long-term control of antibiotic resistance in livestock: a risk analysis framework

Abstract

Antibiotic resistance in animals has been a growing problem in recent years due in part to the widespread use of antibiotics in food producing animals, especially for prolonged periods of time to stimulate development. These antibiotic-resistant germs might eventually make their way to humans through animal products. They might also spread their antibiotic-resistance genes to germs that cause disease in humans, making it impossible to cure some potentially fatal infections. Determining the standards for risk minimization (risk management and risk communication) and the actual danger to human health from antibiotic usage in animals (risk assessment) will aid regulatory decision making. We present a new approach to risk analysis that takes into account the potential dangers posed by three interconnected agents: antibiotics (chemical agent), bacteria (microbiological agent), and antibiotic-resistance genes (genetic agent). Controlling antibiotic usage, limiting the spread of bacterial illness, and stopping the movement of resistance determinants across bacterial populations are all potential strategies for minimizing risk. Co-authored by the International Society for Chemotherapy and Elsevier Science B.V., 2002. This is a protected work.