Your data on MRCVSonline
The nature of the services provided by Vision Media means that we might obtain certain information about you.
Please read our Data Protection and Privacy Policy for details.

In addition, (with your consent) some parts of our website may store a 'cookie' in your browser for the purposes of
functionality or performance monitoring.
Click here to manage your settings.
EmailIphone Application    Posted: 29th April 2019
If you would like to forward this story on to a friend, simply fill in the form below and click send.
Your friend's email:
Your email:
Your name:
 
 
Send Cancel

New insights into antibiotic resistance in pigs
Information on the development of resistance in E.coli in relation to antibiotic treatments in commercial pigs is scarce.
Researchers assess resistance to E.coli in relation to antibiotic treatments

A study has revealed new insights into the development and persistence of antibiotic resistance in pigs.

Writing in the journal Preventative Veterinary Medicine, researchers describe an assessment of antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli (E.coli) isolated from pigs during their lifespan.

Between 2014 and 2016, the team followed 406 pigs from 29 commercial breeding herds from birth to slaughter and documented their antibiotic treatments. They collected faecal samples from the pigs once while suckling, once after weaning and three times during fattening. They also collected faecal samples from the pigs’ dams around the time of farrowing.

Researchers found that 264 animals from 19 breeding herds were treated with an antibiotic at least once in their lifetime (65 per cent). Beta-lactams, tetracyclines and colistin were the antibiotics used most frequently. They also found that resistance was higher for beta-lactam, tetracyclines or macrolide-treated pigs, compared to animals that had not received treatment.

In pigs not treated with the respective antibiotics, the probability of isolates being resistant to ampicillin, tetracycline or azithromycin changed significantly over time, the authors note, with the probability increasing at weaning.

In European countries, 88 per cent of pigs are treated with antibiotics at least once during their lifetime. But information on the development of resistance in E.coli in relation to antibiotic treatments in commercial pigs is scarce.

‘Reducing antibiotic resistance in sows might lead to a lower level of beta-lactam or macrolide-resistant E. coli among their progeny,’ the authors conclude. ‘To preserve treatment options for bacterial infections, antibiotic use should be restricted to necessary cases.’

Become a member or log in to add this story to your CPD history

Defra shares new Sanitary and Phytosanitary guidance

News Story 1
 Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.

The agreement, which will change the movement and trade of animals and related products, could see reductions in checks, paperwork and certification. As well as describing regulatory developments, the advice highlights the importance of animal ID, registration and traceability in disease control and other compliance arrangements.

The guidance can be found here. More detail is expected as negotiations progress. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Lords Committee opens Pet Parasite Medication inquiry

The House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee will launch its inquiry into Pet Parasite Medication (PPM) on Wednesday (3 June).

Focusing on treatments containing fipronil and imidacloprid, the inquiry will seek to understand distribution pathways and the impacts of PPM use and non-use on biodiversity and human health. It will also cover current regulation, monitoring, and the potential implications for pets and their owners.

The committee will hear evidence from environmental non-governmental organisations and research institutes. The public can follow the proceedings live on Parliament TV or in person in the Palace of Westminster.