Antibiotic resistance of faecal enterococci in poultry, poultry farmers and poultry slaughterers

Abstract

Acquired resistance against commonly used antibiotics has been observed ever since these agents were introduced in human and veterinary medicine. However, the rate of development of resistance appears to have accelerated in the past decade 1 and today multiple resistant bacteria constitute a global problem. In the modern poultry industry antibiotics are used in high quantities not only for therapy and prevention of bacterial diseases, but also as antimicrobial growth promoters (AMGPs) in animal feeds. In 1990 in The Netherlands 80 000 kg of antibiotics (active substance) were used in humans and 300 000 kg on veterinary prescription in animals. This was in both populations equivalent to c. 100 mg of active substance/kg body weight/year. However, c. 26% of the veterinary used antibiotics were intended for poultry, mainly broilers, resulting in a yearly exposure of c. 430 mg of antibiotics/kg/year for poultry.