Resistance of听Salmonella听补苍诲听Campylobacter听to commonly used antimicrobials is frequently observed in humans and animals, reveals a report issued today by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). However, simultaneous resistance to critically important antimicrobials for humans was generally detected at low levels, except for some听Salmonella听types and听Campylobacter coli听in several countries.
鈥淎ntimicrobial resistance is one of the greatest threats we face worldwide, affecting humans, animals, and the environment. Working together remains key to tackling this complex problem.
In our work, we embody the One Health approach, recognising the close links and interdependency of the health of humans, animals, plants, and the wider environment,鈥澨齭aid ECDC and EFSA chief scientists Mike Catchpole and Carlos Das Neves in a joint statement.
There were encouraging trends in several countries, where an increasing proportion of bacteria from food-producing animals was susceptible to all tested antimicrobials. Moreover, the听prevalence听of Extended-spectrum Beta-lactamases (ESBLs) and AmpC beta-lactamases (AmpC) producing听E. Coli听is decreasing.
A decline in the resistance of听Salmonella听to ampicillin and tetracycline was also observed in humans in several countries over the period 2013鈥�2021. This was particularly evident in听S.鈥疶yphimurium, a type of听Salmonella听commonly associated with pigs and calves, which is often multidrug-resistant. Data also show decreasing trends in resistance of听Campylobacter jejuni听to erythromycin in humans and broilers.
This type of antimicrobial is very important in the treatment of campylobacteriosis.
However, the report also shows an increasing trend over the same period in the resistance of听厂.听Enteritidis and听颁.鈥痡别箩耻苍颈听to ciprofloxacin in humans.听S.鈥疎nteritidis and听C. jeuni听cause most cases of salmonellosis and campylobacteriosis infections in humans.
Similar trends were observed in听C. jejuni听from broilers between 2009 and 2020, where resistance to ciprofloxacin increased in several听countries. The level of ciprofloxacin resistance in听Campylobacter听is now so high that this antimicrobial can no longer be recommended in the treatment of severe听Campylobacter听infections in humans.
Resistance of听E. coli鈥�to carbapenem remains rare in food-producing animals and humans. Since carbapenems are a class of last-resort antimicrobials, any findings showing resistance to these in听zoonotic听bacteria are a concern. Therefore, resistance to carbapenem needs to be kept monitored and investigated.
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