Global antibiotic use in animals dip by 13% in 3 years; but regional disparities exist

Subject: Science and technology

Section: Health

Context:

The global usage of antimicrobials in animals has dropped by 13 per cent in three years from 2017 to 2019, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) said in its seventh report on antibiotic use released recently.

Report findings:

The report also pointed out regional differences: While 49 countries from Asia, Far East, Oceania and Europe reported an overall reduction in antimicrobials used, the remaining 31 from African and American regions reported an overall increase.
Approximately half of the users of antimicrobial growth promoters are in the regions of America, Asia, Far East and Oceania.
Antimicrobial growth promoters are: flavomycin, bacitracin, avilamycin, tylosin, fosfomycin, amoxicillin, apramycin and neomycin.
- While flavomycin and avilamycin are currently excluded from human use, bacitracin is not classified among WHO’s critically important antimicrobials (CIAs).
- High priority- critically important antimicrobials (HP- CIAs):Tylosin, Colistin, erythromycin, kitasamycin and spiramycin.

ANImalantiMicrobial USE (ANIMUSE):

WOAH also introduced an interactive online platform called the Global Database for ANImalantiMicrobial USE (ANIMUSE) to expedite data accessibility and contribute towards evidence-based decision-making.
ANIMUSE plays a key role in supporting members’ actions to achieve this target, helping veterinary workforces to understand and monitor AMU in a harmonized and comparable way.

Third Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance:

Held in Oman in November 2022
During the ministerial conference, 47 countries committed to reduce the total amount of antimicrobials used in animals and agriculture by at least 30-50 per cent by 2030.
Around 107 of 157 participants (68 per cent) have discontinued the use of antimicrobials as growth promoters, with or without legislation.