antibiotics
Second human case of resistance to last-ditch antibiotic in U.S.
For the second time since May, researchers reported discovering bacteria resistant to colistin, a last-resort antibiotic, in a patient receiving medical treatment, said Medscape Medical News. The discovery was part of an international search to gauge the prevalence of the resistant bacteria, which also have been found in livestock and are viewed as a salient threat to the antimicrobials used to treat and prevent disease.
Humane Society: Perdue leads the pack on animal-welfare
The Humane Society of the U.S. praised Perdue, the country’s fourth-largest poultry producer, for a series of animal-welfare reforms that it called “meaningful and precedent-setting.” The reforms include installing windows in poultry houses to allow more natural light; giving each bird more space; putting the birds to sleep before slaughter; and testing slower-growing breeds.
Seagulls may be carriers of antibiotic resistant strain
Researchers found the "superbug" that is resistant to the last-ditch antibiotic used in treating human disease in seagulls on two continents, Europe and South America, writes Maryn McKenna in National Geographic. The discovery pinpoints one way the so-called MCR-1 gene, which confers resistance to colistin, is moving around the world.
Deadline looms for phase-out of over-the-counter livestock drugs
As the deadline for an FDA plan to shift sales of medically-important antibiotics in the livestock industry from over-the-counter to prescription draws near, there are concerns among retailers and feed-industry officials that the transition may not go smoothly, says FeedNavigator.
USDA finds second pig sample with ‘superbug’ gene
Government scientists found the MCR-1 gene, which allows bacteria to overcome the last-resort antibiotics used against disease in humans, in a sample taken from a different pig than the first U.S. discovery, said a CDC official. The initial case, reported on the same day as discovery of a Pennsylvania woman with an infection that carried the MCR-1 gene, raised fears of "superbug" bacteria resistant to a broad array of antimicrobials.
Chilean court: salmon farms must come clean about antibiotics
A federal appeals court in Chile has ruled that the country’s salmon farmers have to disclose their level of antibiotic use, says Reuters. The international environmental group Oceana filed the claim for transparency in 2014, when Chilean salmon producers upped their antibiotic use by 25 percent in order to fight off a devastating bacteria known as SRS or Piscirickettsiosis.
EU regulators call for large cut in ag use of last-ditch antibiotic
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) wants to slash agricultural use of colistin, a last-ditch antibiotic in treatment of infection and disease in humans, by two-thirds, said Reuters. The regulatory agency issued its call at the same time the MCR-1 gene, which enables bacteria to resist colistin, was identified for the first time in the United States in a human and separately in a sample from a hog.
Superbug heralds ‘truly pan-drug resistant bacteria’
A gene that protects bacteria against the last-resort antibiotics used against disease in humans "has been found in the United States for the first time — in a person and, separately, in a stored sample taken from a slaughtered pig," said Maryn McKenna at National Geographic's Germination Blog. Defense Department researchers say in a scientific journal the discovery "heralds the emergence of truly pan-drug resistant bacteria."
Antibiotic resistance could kill 10 million a year by mid-Century
Without action to protect the efficacy of antibiotics and to develop new antimicrobials, 10 million people a year would die worldwide due to drug-resistant bacteria by 2050, said a study commissioned by the British government. The report called for coordinated action worldwide to reduce unnecessary use of antibiotics, pointing to animal agriculture in particular.
FDA requires drugmakers to disclose details on livestock antibiotic sales
As part of a government-wide campaign to preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics in treating disease in humans, drugmakers will have to estimate sales of antimicrobials for use in the major species of food animals, such as cattle, hogs, chickens and poultry. FDA said the industry estimates "will complement the data collection plan were are developing to obtain additional on-farm use and (bacterial) resistance data."
Bacteria instead of antibiotics to keep livestock healthy
Along with corn and hay, cattle at Iowa State University's Beef Nutrition Farm are consuming small doses of bacteria as part of their daily rations. It's part of research into alternatives to the antibiotics that are a common tool in livestock health, says Harvest Public Media.
Meatpacker Cargill to reduce antibiotic use in its cattle
One of the largest U.S. meat packers, privately owned Cargill, said it will reduce by 20 percent its use of "shared class" antibiotics on slaughter cattle in the four feed yards that it owns in the Great Plains and in four additional lots operated by a business partner, Friona Industries.
Taylor to leave FDA after five years at deputy commissioner
The top FDA official involved in stricter controls on antibiotics in livestock and implementation of the 2011 Food Safety Modernization law, Michael Taylor, will leave the agency on June 1 after more than five years as deputy commissioner.
British poultry farms use antibiotics banned on U.S. farms
The British newspaper the Independent says fluoroquinolones, a class of antibiotics "banned on U.S. chicken farms a decade ago over links to the spread of potentially deadly bacteria in humans, are being used in significantly increased quantities by the British poultry industry."
‘Right to farm’ amendment advances in Nebraska legislature
A proposal for a "right to farm" constitutional amendment appears headed for debate in Nebraska's unicameral legislature, says the Lincoln Journal-Star.
More countries find gene that threatens last-resort antibiotic
In just two months, scientists in 19 countries have detected the presence of the MCR-1 gene that can make bacteria resistant to the antibiotic colistin, given to patients when other antimicrobials are ineffective, reports Bloomberg.
Obstacles to phase-down of antibiotics in food animals
Heading into the final year of the FDA's three-year phase-out of sub-therapeutic use of medically important antibiotics in cattle, hogs and poultry, "There is a low level of awareness of the impending regulatory changes -- particularly among livestock producers with small to medium-sized operations," says the Farm Foundation.
Sales of antibiotics for livestock use rise, but not as fast
Drugmakers reported the sale or distribution of 15.4 million kg of antibiotics for use in cattle, hogs and poultry last year, up 4 percent from 2013, said the FDA in an annual report. The increase was slightly smaller than average and the sale of medically important antibiotics rose 3 percent.
Sales of antibiotics for food animals up again, reports FDA
Drugmakers sold 24.6 million pounds of antibiotics for use in cattle, hogs, and poultry last year, up 4 percent from 2021 and the second increase in two years, said the Food and Drug Administration on Thursday.