A Retrospective, Observational Study on Antimicrobial Drug Use in Beef Fattening Operations in Northwestern Italy and Evaluation of Risk Factors Associated with Increased Antimicrobial Usage.

Isabella Nicola,Flaminia Valentini,Claudio Bellino,Antonio D’Angelo,Giovanni Gallina,Paola Gianella,Giulia Cagnotti

doi:10.3390/ani11071925

Isabella Nicola, Flaminia Valentini + Show 5 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11071925

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Abstract

Simple SummaryAntimicrobial usage in veterinary medicine is thought to be a source of antimicrobial resistance, with possible implications for human health. Certain antibiotics are considered critical for human health, and their use is being judiciously reduced in animal productions. The monitoring of antimicrobial consumption in animal production is key to lowering the risk of the development of antimicrobial resistance. With this study, we quantified antimicrobial usage in beef fattening operations in northwestern Italy before the implementation of a program intended to control antimicrobial usage in veterinary medicine. We found that antimicrobials defined as critical for human health (e.g., fluroquinolones) were often used also for metaphylactic treatment.The abuse or misuse of antimicrobials in animal production is thought to be a potential factor in the development of antimicrobial resistance in veterinary and human medicine. With this study, we wanted to quantify antimicrobial usage in beef fattening operations in northwestern Italy and to identify factors potentially influencing antimicrobial usage. The sample was composed of 26 beef fattening operations that import heifers and bulls from France. Data were extracted from the 2014 and 2015 treatment registers kept by the farmers. The mean (±SD) number of animal daily doses per animal (nADDa) per year for each farm was 3 (±2.1) during the study period (2014–2015). Group antimicrobial treatments (57.5% of all treatments) were often administered orally (70.5%) and consisted overwhelmingly of doxycycline (97%). Individual treatments (42.5% of all treatments) were administered parenterally (98.1%) and the most often used active substances were florfenicol (19.9%), marbofloxacin (19.5%), and tylosin (12.4%). There was a negative correlation between the nADDa for total and group treatments and average batch weight at arrival and between the amount of straw added per animal per day and the nADDa (p ≤ 0.05). Our data show that antimicrobials critical for human medicine were often used in beef fattening operations in northwestern Italy before the European guidelines for the prudent use of antimicrobials in veterinary medicine were issued. Additionally, the use of antimicrobials as a preventive group treatment was still widespread, mostly in lighter weight animals.

Highlights

IntroductionAntimicrobial resistance is a growing concern in both human and veterinary medicine
Antimicrobial resistance is a growing concern in both human and veterinary medicine.According to a 2014 review, an estimated 700,000 human deaths per year may be attributed 4.0/).to antimicrobial resistance, with 10 million deaths per year estimated by 2050 if antimicrobial consumption is not controlled [1]
Our findings show that beef cattle fattening operations in 2014–2015 appeared to use fewer antimicrobials than in veal calves, pigs, and broilers

Summary

Introduction

Antimicrobial resistance is a growing concern in both human and veterinary medicine. To antimicrobial resistance, with 10 million deaths per year estimated by 2050 if antimicrobial consumption is not controlled [1]. The development of antimicrobial resistance in zoonotic pathogens affecting human patients, such as Campylobacter spp., enterococci, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp. and Staphylococcus aureus, is increasing [3]. National monitoring programs in Europe have reported an increase in antimicrobial resistance in human pathogens, possibly correlated with the usage of certain active substances in food-producing animals [4]. In an effort to better control antimicrobial usage in veterinary medicine in Europe, the European Commission issued specific guidelines in 2015 that recommended the prescription of antimicrobial drugs based on a susceptibility test, the use of metaphylaxis only when needed, and the discontinuation of all types of prophylactic treatment [5]. Guidelines included limitations in veterinary medicine of the use of antimicrobials considered critical for human medicine, listed as highest priority critically important antimicrobials (HPCIA) by the World Health

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