- Resistant bacteria can be transmitted from food-producing animals to humans
through the food supply. - Resistant bacteria can cause infections in humans.
- Infections caused by resistant bacteria can result in adverse health consequences
for humans.
Because of the link between antibiotic use in food-producing animals and the
occurrence of antibiotic-resistant infections in humans, antibiotics should be used in
food-producing animals only under veterinary oversight and only to manage and treat
infectious diseases, not to promote growth.CDC encourages and supports efforts to
minimize inappropriate use of antibiotics in humans and animals, including FDA’s
strategy to promote the judicious use of antibiotics that are important in treating humans
(http://www.fda.gov/
AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/AntimicrobialResistance/JudiciousUseofAntimicrobial
s/ default.htm).CDC supports FDA’s plan to implement draft guidance in 2013 that will
operationalize this strategy (http://www.fda.gov/downloads/AnimalVeterinary/
GuidanceComplianceEnforcement/GuidanceforIndustry/UCM299624.pdf).CDC has
also contributed to a training curriculum for veterinarians on prudent antibiotic use in
animals. CDC’s efforts to improve antibiotic prescribing in humans are described in
other sections of this report.
Preventing Infections
Efforts to prevent foodborne and other enteric infections help to reduce both antibiotic-
resistant infections and antibiotic-susceptible infections (those that can be treated
effectively with antibiotics).CDC activities that help prevent these infections include:
- Estimating how much foodborne illness occurs.
- Monitoring trends in foodborne infections.
- Investigating outbreaks and sporadic cases of foodborne illness to stop outbreaks
and improve prevention. - Attributing illnesses to specific foods and settings.
- Tracking and responding to changes in resistance.
- Determining the sources of antibiotic-resistant enteric infections.
- Educating consumers and food workers about safe food handling practices.
- Identifying and educating groups at high risk for infection.