Use of Antibiotics in the Poultry Industry in Saudi Arabia: Implications for Public Health

Abstract

Background:The use of antimicrobial agents in food-producing animals has become an important public health issue due to the spread of microbial resistance. This study was aimed at identifying the antimicrobial agents available for poultry use and highlighting their possible impact on public health. Materials and Methods: Twenty-three randomly selected poultry farms and all veterinary pharmacies in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia were surveyed for the antibiotics used or dispensed. Further, a comprehensive literature survey was performed. Results: Twenty-nine antimicrobial agents were identified as being available for poultry use, of which 22 (75.9%) were important for the treatment of human infections. Enrofloxacin, oxytetracycline, ampicillin, neomycin, sulphamethoxazole, colistin, doxycycline and erythromycin were the most frequently used drugs. Food-borne hypersensitivity reactions and the emergence of microbial resistance, as well as cross-resistance to the various groups of antibiotics in animals and its transfer to human pathogens, are well documented. Conclusion:The misuse of antibiotics in the local poultry industry poses a serious health risk to the public and may complicate the treatment of human infections. The veterinary use of antimicrobial agents, especially those with dual animal and human applications, should therefore be restricted. The establishment of a government department concerned with food and drug safety is also highly recommended.

Antimicrobial Resistance, Biofilm Formation, and Virulence Genes in Enterococcus Species from Small Backyard Chicken Flocks

“…Enterococcal cytolysin is a hemolytic virulence factor linked to human disease and increased patient mortality [82]. The cylA gene was detected in 21 isolates (23%), concordant with other studies in poultry [64,65]. However, only 57.1% of the isolates expressed hemolysin activity, which is in agreement with the results in [83][84][85].…”

“…A high level of Enterococcus resistance to both tetracycline and erythromycin was reported in Switzerland [60], the Netherlands [61], France [62], and Portugal [63]. Macrolides, tetracyclines, and penicillins are the major antimicrobials used in integrated broiler companies [64], while in Saudi Arabia, tetracycline and erythromycin are the most frequently used antimicrobials in poultry farms [65]. Furthermore, tetracycline resistance has been described to co-select for erythromycin resistance [53].…”

Potential risk for drug resistance globalization at the Hajj

“…In the USA, 80% of antibiotics are used in agriculture and aquaculture [48]. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, two studies showed antibiotic supplementation of animal feed [49,50]. The use of antibiotics in agriculture and aquaculture exposes bacteria to sub-inhibitory concentrations of antibiotics, leading to increased resistance [51].…”

First Detection of an Invasive Staphylococcus aureus Strain (D958) with Reduced Susceptibility to Glycopeptides in Saudi Arabia

“…For example, Sakoulas et al have determined in vitro that the emergence of hVISA or VISA may occur when S. aureus strains with a downregulated or defective agr locus are exposed to suboptimal vancomycin concentrations (48) or simply exposed for prolonged periods of time in the context of recurrent bacteremia (49). In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Al-Mustafa et al have demonstrated that 29 antimicrobial agents were identified as being available for poultry use, of which 22 (75.9%) were important for the treatment of human infections (enrofloxacin, oxytetracycline, doxycycline, ampicillin, neomycin, sulfamethoxazole, colistin, and erythromycin were the most frequently used drugs) (1). According to the authors, the use of antimicrobial agents in food-producing animals in Saudi Arabia has become an important public health threat and may complicate the treatment of human infections.…”