Health council report 'Antimicrobial growth promoters'.

The Health Council of the Netherlands has issued a report on the risk of de velopment of resistance among bacteria as result of the use of antibiotics as growth promotors in livestock farming. The committee appointed by the He alth Council conclude that the use of antimicrobial growth promotors contri butes to the problem of resistance among human pathogens. The conclusions a re based on evidence regarding the development of resistance in livestock a s the result of the use of antimicrobial growth promotors, the possibility of colonisation/infection of humans with resistance bacteria from the intes tinal flora of productive livestock, and the transfer of resistance genes f rom livestock bacteria to human pathogenic microorganisms. Effective measur es for the limitation of the public health risk should focus on termination of the use of antimicrobial growth promotors that confer resistance to (re late) antibiotics currently used (or which will be available) to treat pati ents suffering from bacterial infections. In addition, the committee advise d ending the use of antimicrobial growth promotors in 3 years.