Moritz van Vuuren Managing the global challenges of

Moritz van Vuuren Managing the global challenges of antibiotic use in animal husbandry Emeritus Professor: Microbiology Free State Animal Health Forum 21 September 2017

Introductory remarks Antibiotic resistance is one of the most serious public health crises today There is general consensus among the international and national organizations that drive the efforts to control resistance, that the awareness created during the past few decades must now translate into action (GAP, NAP, SAASP, MAC, WVA)

The Longitude Act 1714 British government wanted to solve the greatest scientific challenge of the 18 th century Three hundred years later the Longitude Committee shortlisted six major issues facing humanity Following a public vote, the challenge for Longitude Prize was revealed as antibiotics

Any antibiotic use can contribute to antibiotic resistance High doses vs subtherapeutic doses? The WVA recommended approach for the use of antibiotics that antibiotics used for treatment should be used as long as needed but for the shortest duration

Other contributing factors to development of resistance Socio-economic disparity with concomitant sanitation issues in many parts of the world Poor prescription and dispensing practices – empirical use of antibiotics Lack of national antibiotic resistance surveillance networks Inadequate infection control in many hospitals/animal facilities The use of antibiotics in feed and water of production 7

J S Afr Vet Assoc. 2012; 83(1) Results showed that 68% of antimicrobials surveyed were administered in feed, and 12% in water 8

Transfer of resistance in agriculture findings reinforce the need to act now and restrict antibiotic use in animal agriculture to those instances necessary to ensure the health and well-being of the animals. 9

Will reducing the volume of antibiotics consumed by food animals have public health benefits?

Sources of antimicrobial resistance

Waste as a burden for contamination of the environment with resistant bacteria and resistance genes Wastewater treatment plants Antibiotics discarded in drains Sewage treatment works After treatment the effluent lands up in rivers or streams Manufacturing plants Pharmaceutical waste Abattoirs Food of animal-origin processing plants Agricultural farms

Four focus areas in the FAO Action Plan on AMR for 20162020:

How do you reduce the need for antibiotics in animal husbandry? By adopting non-antibiotic best practices to improve animal health Improving hygiene practices Access to clean water and nutritional innovations Appropriate stocking density to maintain health and welfare Biosecurity Optimize vaccination programmes Visitor control Fencing Disinfection practices Measuring biosecurity 15

Inadequate biosecurity and management On many farms the increased production has not been accompanied by improvements in biosecurity and management These disease problems continue to be addressed mainly by administration of antibiotics! Antibiotics registered through the Stock Remedies Act do not require veterinary oversight and have unrestricted use in livestock 16

Global call for veterinary oversight of antibiotics Veterinary oversight of the use of antibiotics in animal health is a short term objective (2017 -2020) of the major international agencies such as OIE, WHO, FAO and EC They will continue to monitor the progress of all Member States on an annual basis

Frequently asked questions Why should antibiotics be placed under veterinary oversight? Will antibiotics still be available to farmers over the counter?

In the final analysis Veterinarians and animal producers must make behaviour changes with respect to the prescription and use of antibiotics - We all have to use less antibiotics! - We have to focus on measures to limit transmission of resistance Proven countermeasures to diminish AMR are available for immediate action in animal husbandry