[Health council report: "Antimicrobial growth promoters"]

The Health Council of the Netherlands has issued a report on the risk of development of resistance among bacteria as result of the use of antibiotics as growth promotors in livestock farming. The committee appointed by the Health Council conclude that the use of antimicrobial growth promotors contributes to the problem of resistance among human pathogens. The conclusions are based on evidence regarding the development of resistance in livestock as the result of the use of antimicrobial growth promotors, the possibility of colonisation/infection of humans with resistant bacteria from the intestinal flora of productive livestock, and the transfer of resistance genes from livestock bacteria to human pathogenic microorganisms. Effective measures for the limitation of the public health risk should focus on termination of the use of antimicrobial growth promotors that confer resistance to (related) antibiotics currently used (or which will be available) to treat patients suffering from bacterial infections. In addition, the committee advised ending the use of antimicrobial growth promotors in 3 years.