Though, the risks associated with eating under-cooked or raw meat is small, it can result in serious hard-to-treat infections in humans.
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Last month, researchers in China identified a gene that makes infectious bacteria such as Escherichia coli (E.coli) highly resistant to polymyxins – the last group of antibiotics left after ALL others have failed. In other words, regular use of antibiotics in food animals creates the ideal conditions for the emergence of resistant bacteria.
O’Neill was asked last year by Britain’s prime minister to conduct a full review of the problem and suggest ways to combat it. In his initial report, he estimated antibiotic and microbial resistance could kill an extra 10 million people a year and cost up to $100 trillion by 2050 if it is not brought under control.
“My hope is that people will visit the webpage and come away with a better understanding of what antimicrobial resistance actually is as well as some advice on what simple steps they can take to help address this societal challenge and preserve these essential medicines in both human and animal health”, Coveney said at the launch.
In the United Kingdom, almost half of all antibiotics used are in farming.
Prof Laura Piddock, Professor of Microbiology, University of Birmingham, said: “Over the last 25 years, academics have repeatedly called for a reduction in global antimicrobial use in animals reared for food production”.
Resistant bacteria, as well as significant volumes of antibiotics consumed, are excreted by animals.
The review said it should be for individual countries to decide how best to achieve the targets, which must go alongside restrictions on the use of antibiotics important for humans.
Growth-promoting antibiotics in farming have been illegal in the European Union since 2006, but medicinal use is permitted.
Avoiding bans by category, he said, would encourage farm-antibiotic control even in nations that have not developed their agricultural sector enough to use the drugs much.
The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has expressed its opposition to the introduction of “arbitrary” targets for reducing antibiotic use in food production, in response to recommendations made today.
“Current EU legislation on vets’ prescribing of antibiotics for all animals, including those intended for production, is robust and we would like to see equivalent legislation rolled out globally”.
“As we’ve highlighted, most of the scientific research provides evidence to support curtailing antibiotic use in agriculture”.
The report urged countries to follow Denmark’s lead, with the Scandinavian nation boasting the lowest level of antibiotic use in animals, despite being one of the largest exporters of meat in the world.
Cypriot farmers use more than 400mg of antibiotics per kilo of livestock – eight times the recommended limit – compared to 200mg/kg in the U.S. and just over 50mg/kg in the United Kingdom, the BBC reported on Tuesday.
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The study says the discovery of the gene “strongly indicates” that the selection of resistance was due to the use of colistin in animals and that this was capable of transferring to humans.
