The European Union Summary Report on antimicrobial resistance in zoonotic and indicator bacteria from humans, animals and food in 2011
The antimicrobial resistance data among zoonotic and indicator bacteria in 2011, submitted by 26 EU Member States, were jointly analysed by the EFSA and ECDC. Data covered resistance in zoonotic Salmonella and Campylobacter isolates from humans, food and animals, and in indicator Escherichia coli and enterococci isolates from animals and food. Data on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in animals and food were also presented. The report also presents for the first time results on multi-resistance and co-resistance to critically important antimicrobials in both human and animal isolates. Very few isolates from animals were co-resistant to critically important antimicrobials.
Executive summary
Antimicrobial resistance continues to be found in Salmonella and Campylobacter, the latest joint report from the European Food Safety Authority and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control reveals.
The EU Summary Report on antimicrobial resistance in zoonotic and indicator bacteria from humans, animals and food reveals that a high proportion of Campylobacter bacteria were resistant to ciprofloxacin, a critically important antimicrobial. However, there was low resistance to erythromycin and co-resistance to important antimicrobials remains low.
Multidrug resistance was higher in Salmonella bacteria, the report reveals. Despite this, co-resistance to critically important antimicrobials remains low. High levels of antimicrobial resistance were found in Salmonella bacteria from humans and food animals, in particular turkeys and pigs.
Dr Marc Sprenger, ECDC Director, said: ‘With harmonised surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in isolates from humans and animals, we can inform effective actions to prevent further spread of antimicrobial resistance in humans.’
