Is Your Institution Disposing of Culture Media Containing Antibiotics?

Meyer, Esmeralda; Golston, George; Thomaston, Scott; Thompson, Maureen; Rengarajan, K; Olinger, Patricia

doi:10.1177/1535676017735521

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 6 publications

(6 reference statements)

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“…Recent reviews have identified the significant and overlooked contribution of inappropriately disposed of antimicrobials as drivers of AMR in both human and veterinary medicine [83]. Whilst there is some guidance around disposal of laboratory waste that contains antimicrobials, there are no equivalent publicly available recommendations for laboratory animal waste containing antimicrobials [84]. Antimicrobials, most commonly reported in the survey, have long-standing environmental impacts.…”

Section: Reported Use May Represent a Risk To Human And Rodent Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Antimicrobial use in laboratory rodent facilities in Australia and New Zealand- a cross-sectional survey of veterinarians and facility managers

Wilcox,

Marenda,

Devlin

et al. 2023

Preprint

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This cross-sectional study surveyed veterinarians and facility managers to characterise the use of antimicrobials in laboratory rodent facilities within Australia and New Zealand. Most facilities (71%) reported routine administration of antimicrobials. The indications for antibiotic use reflected those described in publications and differed significantly to reasons for use in non-laboratory animals. Antimicrobials used include those of critical importance to human health, and access to these drugs is unregulated, as prescription-only classes are ordered through research catalogues, without human or veterinary physician prescriptions.The ways in which antimicrobials are used in Australian and New Zealand rodent facilities are likely contributing to antimicrobial resistance within rodent populations, particularly as they are largely administered in drinking water, risking subtherapeutic dosing. Much antimicrobial use reported is unnecessary and could be replaced with changes to husbandry and handling. The generation of resistance in both pathogenic and commensal microbes may also represent a work health and safety issue for humans working with these animals.Reported disposal of antimicrobials included discharge into wastewater, without inactivation, and some respondents reported disposal of substrate, or soiled bedding, nesting material, and disposable enrichment items, from treated animals and medicated feed into landfill, without prior inactivation. Environmental contamination with resistant microbes and antimicrobials is a significant driver of antimicrobial resistance. As such, significant opportunities exist to implement judicious and responsible use of antimicrobials within research rodent facilities in Australia and New Zealand, with a particular focus on instituting aseptic surgery, optimising dosing regimens, and inactivation of medicated water and substrate before disposal.

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Section: Reported Use May Represent a Risk To Human And Rodent Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Antimicrobial use in laboratory rodent facilities in Australia and New Zealand- a cross-sectional survey of veterinarians and facility managers

Wilcox,

Marenda,

Devlin

et al. 2023

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…21 Due to short shelf-life, tons of culture media expire before use and are often discarded. 22 Thus, it is imperative that expired culture media products find other important use as precursors for synthesizing nanomaterials such as CDs or close derivatives. This could reduce the wastage of resources and bring about the large-scale production of carbon-based nanoparticles.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%