EU conference - 'The microbial threat'

A global or European strategy should be developed to deal with increasing a ntimicrobial resistance. This strategy includes surveillance of antimicrobi al resistance and monitoring of the use of antimicrobial agents in animals and humans. In animals, surveillance should be focussed on potential transf er of resistant, zoonotic, food-born pathogens and resistance genes to huma ns. In humans the surveillance should be clinically relevant. Guidelines fo r rational therapy should be implemented and 'antibiotic teams' should be i nstalled in each hospital to evaluate the prescription of antibiotics and i ts compliance with guidelines. Keeping animals for food production involves the responsibility for their well being. This includes treatment of infect ions. However, the use of feed additive, growth-promoting antimicrobials re lated to therapeutics in human medicine, should be banned immediately. Rese arch aimed at intervention strategies for antimicrobial resistance should b e given a high priority with adequate financing both nationally and in Euro pe. Well co-ordinated European research programmes should have priority; th is includes the need to install a European multidisciplinary scientific adv isory group. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. and International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.