WHO meeting on use of quinolones in food animals and potential impact on human health, Geneva, Switzerland, 2-5 June 1998
A variety of antimicrobial types are used in livestock production. Their use inevitably leads to the selection of resistant forms of bacteria in the ecosystem of use. An increase in antimicrobial resistance in zoonotic bacteria isolated from animals, food and humans (e.g., Salmonella and Campylobacter ) has already been reported, but the scope of the problems still needs to be identified and the links between quinolone use in animals and the occurrence of problems in infectious disease treatment in humans needs to be elucidated.
Against this backdrop, WHO organized a consultation to address some of the above mentioned concerns in June 1998. The objectives of this meeting were to:
- Identify known and potential links between the emergence and spread of quinolone resistance from foodborne and other possible zoonotic bacteria, and human zoonotic infection.
- Review the conditions and extent of use of the various quinolones in humans and in food animals.
- Identify and make specific recommendations on areas of applied research or data gathering that would assist in risk assessment.