The European Union summary report on antimicrobial resistance in zoonotic and indicator bacteria from humans, animals and food in 2010
The European Union summary report on antimicrobial resistance in zoonotic and indicator bacteria from humans, animals and food in 2010.
Zoonoses are infections and diseases that are transmissible between animals and humans. Zoonotic bacteria which develop resistance to antimicrobials are of particular concern because they can compromise the effective treatment of infections in humans. In order to monitor this situation, information is collected across the EU on zoonotic bacteria isolated from animals and food.
Published by the European Food Safety Authority, this joint scientific report presents antimicrobial resistance data among zoonotic and indicator bacteria in 2010. The data from 26 EU Member States were analysed by ECDC and EFSA to give an overall picture of antimicrobial resistance among Salmonella and Campylobacter isolates and indicator Escherichia coli and enterococci isolates. Some data on meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in animals and food were also included.
Executive summary
The joint report, based on data collected from EU Member States for 2010, shows that resistance to several antimicrobials was commonly detected in zoonotic bacteria such as Salmonella and Campylobacter which are the main causes of reported food-borne infections in the EU. Zoonotic bacteria that are resistant to antimicrobials are of particular concern as they can be transmitted from animals to food and humans, and may compromise the effective treatment of infections in humans.
“The high resistance of Campylobacter to several antimicrobials, including ciprofloxacin, is of increasing concern at EU-level”, said ECDC’s Director Marc Sprenger. “But with harmonised surveillance of human and animal data we can act to prevent further antimicrobial resistance spread in humans”, Dr Sprenger continued.
ECDC has long been aware of the fact that antimicrobial resistance has become a major public health threat in the EU, and has been collecting surveillance data for many years as well as co-ordinating the European Antibiotic Awareness Day. ECDC will continue strengthening its efforts and links with all key stakeholders to efficiently tackle antimicrobial resistance from a one-health perspective.