Medical consequences of antibiotic use in agriculture
Abstract
Besides hospitals animal husbandry represents a large reservoir of transferable antibiotic resistance genes. Via food products resistant bacteria can easily reach humans. The current debate is above all concerning antibiotic use as growth promoters which can be gradually phased out by better animal performance.
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Antibiotic use in the agricultural sector is exacerbating antibiotic resistance in the clinic.
“The use of medically important antibiotics by humans and for animals has demonstrated causal evidence that antibiotic use in the agricultural sector is exacerbating antibiotic resistance in the clinic (Witte, 1998).”
From Review of emerging contaminants in green stormwater infrastructure: antibiotic resistance genes, microplastics, tire wear particles, PFAS, and temperature (2024) · cites this paper as Witte, 1998
The use of low-dose, sub-therapeutic concentrations in animal systems results in the selection of a resistant population of bacteria which colonize the animal surface, the gut and the rearing environment.
“The use of low-dose, sub-therapeutic concentrations in animal systems results in the selection of a resistant population of bacteria which colonize the animal surface, the gut and the rearing environment [81,82].”
From The Food Production Environment and the Development of Antimicrobial Resistance in Human Pathogens of Animal Origin (2017) · cites this paper as [82]
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- Authors
- Witte, W.
- Affiliations
- Robert Koch Institute (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Witte, Wolfgang
- ORCID
- Witte, Wolfgang
- Venue
- Science
- Published
- 1998-02-13
- Volume
- 279
- Issue
- 5353
- Pages
- 996-997
- ISSN
- 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
- 1095-9203
- OpenAlex
- W1618950725
- Cited by
- 940
- References
- 11
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 36 · 2020: 36 · 2019: 44 · 2018: 52 · 2017: 42 · 2016: 31 · 2015: 24 · 2014: 40 · 2013: 48 · 2012: 42
- FWCI
- 28.16
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DigitalGeorgetown (Georgetown University Library) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology › Antibiotic Use and Resistance
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Medicine › Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria
- Keywords
- antibiotic use in agriculture, antibiotic resistance genes, transferable resistance genes, animal husbandry, growth promoters, animal performance, human health risk
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Animal Husbandry, Anti-Bacterial Agents, Bacterial Infections, Campylobacter, Drug Resistance, Microbial, Enterobacteriaceae, Genes, Bacterial, Gram-Positive Cocci, Growth Substances, Humans, International Cooperation, R Factors, Global Health
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