Weekly Overview: Resistance to 'Last-Resort' Antibiotic Found in China
ANALYSIS - Concluding our coverage of World Antibiotic Awareness Week (16-23 November), scientists in China reported that they have found increased levels of resistance to an antimicrobial drug used when other drugs have failed.
23 November 2015
3 minute read
By: The report, in the journal Lancet Infectious Diseases, explained how the scientists were conducting routine surveillance for antibiotic resistance in E. coli when they found the resistant specimen in a pig.
The resistance gene was found in 15 per cent of E. coli collected from raw meat samples, 21 per cent of samples from animals and 1 per cent of samples from inpatients with infection.
Australia announced that it is developing new antibiotic prescribing guidelines for livestock.
The Australian Veterinary Association and Animal Medicines Australia are joining forces to develop the best practice antibiotic prescribing guidelines.
“There are already Australian evidence-based guidelines for dogs and cats. With this project kicking off in 2016, we will now also have guidelines for horses, sheep, pigs, poultry and cattle,” said Animal Medicines Australia CEO, Duncan Bremner.
In Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea (PED) news, Joel Harris, US Head of Sales and Marketing for Harrisvaccines, spoke to ThePigSite about the presence of the PED virus around the world, including the Philippines, and what is being done to combat it. You can watch the interview with Joel, here.
In our African Swine Fever (ASF) update, ASF has been reported in wild boar in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia over the past week. It was also discovered in Ukrainian village pigs.
While some believe Belarus has been staying quiet on ASF outbreaks in the country, a local newspaper reported that the Head of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) Office for Eastern Europe, Kazimieras Lukauskas, has praised Belarus on its ASF measures.
“I think the measures taken in Belarus to prevent ASF are exemplary. The level of protection at Belarusian farms and pig-breeding facilities is very high. All the measures set out in our regulations are met. Individual farmers also ensure a high level of protection,” said Kazimieras Lukauskas.
Also this week, in Part Four of their series, veterinarians John Carr and Mark Howells discuss the importance of people in keeping ASF off your farm.
