food animals

Preventing carbapenem-resistant Salmonella or E.coli in foods

Guest Blogger Antibiotic resistance , , , ,

AMS test

We welcome another guest post from Prof Peter Collignon (bio below) on the risk of antibiotic resistance in the food chain…

Codex has recently announced they are doing more work on antimicrobial resistance.  This is an opportunity get Codex to have a couple of standards to better protect public health from one of the worst types of antibiotic resistance that might develop in the next few years or decade. Specifically to help prevent carbapenem-resistant bacteria transferring to people via the food chain including via imported foods into countries (some useful background on this issue from European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) here).

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It’s time to ban colistin in food animals

Guest Blogger Antibiotic resistance , , ,

Guest blogger, Prof Peter Collignon (bio below) writes…

EU proposals on colistin use in food animals are just restrictions. Why not a ban?

We are now in a situation around the world where rising levels of resistance means that for many life-threatening infections with Gram-negative bacteria such as E.coli, the only effective antibiotic is now IV colistin. Colistin (polymyxin E) is an old drug that has been resurrected for use because there are no other alternatives available – even though it has major renal and neural toxicities.

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