The article presents a rapid and simple analytical procedure for determination of four sulfonamides (sulfadiazine, sulfamerazine, sulfamethazine and sulfamethoxazole), trimethoprim, tylosin and amoxicillin in animal medicated feed.

Objective- To evaluate the effects of tylosin on C-reactive protein concentration, carriage of Salmonella enterica, and antimicrobial resistance genes in commercial pigs. Animals-120 pigs on 2 commercial farms. Procedures- A cohort of sixty 10-week-old pigs in 4 pens/farm (15 pigs/pen) was randomly selected. Equal numbers of pigs were given feed containing tylosin (40 μg/g of feed) for 0, 6, or 12 weeks. C-reactive protein concentrations were measured, microbial culture for S enterica in feces was performed, and antimicrobial resistance genes in feces were quantified. Results- No significant associations were detected between C-reactive protein concentration or S enterica status and tylosin treatment. During the 12 weeks of tylosin administration, increased levels of 6 antimicrobial resistance genes did not occur. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Treatment of pigs with tylosin did not affect C-reactive protein concentration or reduce carriage or load of S enterica. There was no evidence that pigs receiving tylosin had increased carriage of the 6 antimicrobial resistance genes measured. Impact for Human Medicine-S enterica is a public health concern. Use of the antimicrobial growth promoter tylosin did not pose a public health risk by means of increased carriage of S enterica.

Mycoplasma bovis is a major cause of pneumonia, arthritis, and mastitis in cattle and can lead to significant economic losses. Antimicrobial resistance is a concern and further limits the already short list of drugs effective against mycoplasmas. The objective of this study was to examine changes in in vitro minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of antimicrobials of aminoglycoside, fluoroquinolone, lincosamide, macrolide, pleuromutilin, phenicol, and tetracycline classes for 210 M. bovis isolates collected from 1978 to 2009. The MIC(50) values of the various antimicrobials were also compared. The MIC(50) levels for enrofloxacin and danofloxacin remained low (0.25 μg/mL) across all 3 decades. MIC(50) levels for tetracyclines, tilmicosin, and tylosin tartrate were low in the 1980s, then increased in the 1990s and remained high. In the 1980s, MIC(50) levels were low for clindamycin, spectinomycin, and tulathromycin, increased in the 1990s to 8 μg/mL (clindamycin) and 32 μg/mL (spectinomycin and tulathromycin), then decreased again in the 2000s. Members of the fluoroquinolone class of antimicrobials had the lowest MIC(50) levels across all 3 decades, which suggests in vitro susceptibility of M. bovis to this class of antimicrobials. Statistically significant associations were observed between MIC values for chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline, tylosin tartrate, and tilmicosin; between clindamycin, tulathromycin, spectinomycin, and tiamulin; and between tylosin tartrate and clindamycin. Changes in MIC levels of various antimicrobials over time show the importance of monitoring the susceptibility of mycoplasmas to antimicrobials. The number of antimicrobials that showed elevated MIC(50) levels, and therefore possibly reduced in vitro effectiveness against M. bovis, supports initiatives that promote prudent use of antimicrobials in agriculture.

An observational study was conducted of chicken and turkey flocks slaughtered at federal processing plants in the province of Quebec, Canada. The objectives were to estimate prevalence of drug use at hatchery and on farm and to identify antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in cecal Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp. isolates and factors associated with AMR. Eighty-two chicken flocks and 59 turkey flocks were sampled. At the hatchery, the most used antimicrobial was ceftiofur in chickens (76% of flocks) and spectinomycin in turkeys (42% of flocks). Virginiamycin was the antimicrobial most frequently added to the feed in both chicken and turkey flocks. At least 1 E. coli isolate resistant to third-generation cephalosporins was present in all chicken flocks and in a third of turkey flocks. Resistance to tetracycline, streptomycin, and sulfisoxazole was detected in > 90% of flocks for E. coli isolates. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) was observed to bacitracin, erythromycin, lincomycin, quinupristin-dalfopristin, and tetracycline in both chicken and turkey flocks for Enterococcus spp. isolates. No resistance to vancomycin was observed. The use of ceftiofur at hatchery was significantly associated with the proportion of ceftiofur-resistant E. coli isolates in chicken flocks. In turkey flocks, ceftiofur resistance was more frequent when turkeys were placed on litter previously used by chickens. Associations between drug use and resistance were observed with tetracycline (turkey) in E. coli isolates and with bacitracin (chicken and turkey), gentamicin (turkey), and tylosin (chicken) in Enterococcus spp. isolates. Further studies are needed to provide producers and veterinarians with alternative management practices and tools in order to reduce the use of antimicrobial feed additives in poultry.

Objective-To assess antimicrobial resistance and transfer of virulence genes facilitated by subtherapeutic concentrations of antimicrobials in swine intestines. Animals-20 anesthetized pigs experimentally inoculated with donor and recipient bacteria. Procedures-4 recipient pathogenic bacteria (Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium, Yersinia enterocolitica, Shigella flexneri, or Proteus mirabilis) were incubated with donor bacteria in the presence of subinhibitory concentrations of 1 of 16 antimicrobials in isolated ligated intestinal loops in swine. Donor Escherichia coli contained transferrable antimicrobial resistance or virulence genes. After coincubations, intestinal contents were removed and assessed for pathogens that acquired new antimicrobial resistance or virulence genes following exposure to the subtherapeutic concentrations of antimicrobials. Results-3 antimicrobials (apramycin, lincomycin, and neomycin) enhanced transfer of an antimicrobial resistance plasmid from commensal E coli organisms to Yersinia and Proteus organisms, whereas 7 antimicrobials (florfenicol, hygromycin, penicillin G, roxarsone, sulfamethazine, tetracycline, and tylosin) exacerbated transfer of an integron (Salmonella genomic island 1) from Salmonella organisms to Yersinia organisms. Sulfamethazine induced the transfer of Salmonella pathogenicity island 1 from pathogenic to nonpathogenic Salmonella organisms. Six antimicrobials (bacitracin, carbadox, erythromycin, sulfathiazole, tiamulin, and virginiamycin) did not mediate any transfer events. Sulfamethazine was the only antimicrobial implicated in 2 types of transfer events. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-10 of 16 antimicrobials at subinhibitory or subtherapeutic concentrations augmented specific antimicrobial resistance or transfer of virulence genes into pathogenic bacteria in isolated intestinal loops in swine. Use of subtherapeutic antimicrobials in animal feed may be associated with unwanted collateral effects.