Prevalence of antibiotic susceptibility of Escherichia coli isolated from food-producing animals -: Data of the national antibiotic resistance monitoring of the BVL

Humans can be exposed to resistant bacteria from livestock by food of animal origin or by direct transfer of resistant bacteria from animals to humans. On the other hand the exchange of resistance genes between bacteria from different ecosystems and bacteria from humans is feasible. The National Antibiotic Resistance Monitoring of veterinary pathogens from diseased food-producing animals (GERM-Vet) has been implemented by the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) to determine the current resistance level and to observe the development and the distribution of resistance. The calculated susceptibility data for E. coli from food-producing animals correlates with the assumed use of antimicrobial agents. High resistance rates were detected concerning tetracyclines (up to a level of 80%) and the combination trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole (up to a level of 45%). "Older" beta 3-lactam antibiotics showed also a restricted activity (up to a level of 65%). The results depend on the animal species. in contrast to other reports, only in a few cases resistance were detected against cephalosporins (3rd and 4th generation) and fluoroquinolones. In the majority of cases a reduction of the target bacteria susceptibility was less 10%.