Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
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First overarching report on antimicrobial usage and bacterial resistance published
The Government has today published a new report that combines for the first time a range of information on antimicrobial resistance in bacteria in farmed animals, humans, and food.
Antimicrobials are chemicals such as antibiotics, used in veterinary and human medicine. Antimicrobial resistance is the ability of organisms to resist treatment with antimicrobials.
Concern about increasing levels of antimicrobial resistance has been growing for several years.
The report includes information from Defra, the Department of Health, Health Protection Agency, Food Standards Agency and other Government agencies including the Devolved Administrations.
The UK's Chief Veterinary Officer, Debby Reynolds, said:
"This report underlines the Government's commitment to understanding antimicrobial resistance in the veterinary and human fields, and the relationship between the two. The UK is one of only a few countries worldwide to prepare such a report.
"We will use this information to help develop future policy and preventative measures in this area. We already support a precautionary approach in the use of antimicrobials, including promoting responsible use across all sectors."
Chief Medical Officer Liam Donaldson said:
"Antimicrobials, especially antibiotics, are important in ensuring good health in both humans and animals and for the first time this report brings together data from both sectors. This is an important report which will help stakeholders see the whole picture of antimicrobial usage, including the level of resistance of microbes to specific antimicrobial agents used in the treatment of both animals and humans."
The findings of the report will be used to monitor trends in
patterns of resistance, identify new resistant organisms, and
identify the risk factors that can lead to the development of
resistance.
The report can be found at http://www.vmd.gov.uk/publications/antibiotic/antipubs.htm
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