Monitoring of antibiotic resistance in bacteria of animal origin: epidemiological and microbiological methodologies

The occurrence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in food animals is a major public health threat. Information on the prevalence of resistance to specif ic drugs in both bacterial and animal species together with changes occurri ng over time, are necessary to understand the magnitude of the problem and to establish baselines for taking action. The aim of this paper is to defin e the minimum epidemiological and microbiological requirements for establis hing a surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria of animal origi n. Surveillance should involve different bacterial species, veterinary path ogens, zoonotic bacteria and commensal bacteria used as indicators. The col lected data should be periodically updated and the reports distributed amon g practising veterinarians and regulatory authorities. These reports would be a useful tool for developing guidelines for the prudent use of antimicro bial agents in veterinary medicine and for action strategies. (C) 2000 Else vier Science B.V. and International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights res erved.