‘Different mindset needed for antibiotic use in animal husbandry’

A new antimicrobial resistance mechanism has been found in bacteria from Chinese pigs, pork, poultry meat and humans. This is a serious public health threat because it results in resistance to what is considered to be a last resort antibiotic in human medicine. Prof Dik Mevius of the Dutch Central Veterinary Institute explains the consequences. What exactly is the situation in China? “Colistin is a class of antibiotics that has been used in animals for treatment and control of diarrhoea for