Rise of ampicillin resistance began years before human use.

The rise of ampicillin resistance began years before human use,and likely triggered by overuse of penicillin s in agriculture in the 1950s. Bacteria that can pass on genes resistant to ampicillin, one of the most commonly used antibiotics today, emerged several years before the widespread use of this antibiotic in humans, according to new research published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. Low doses of penicillin routinely fed to livestock in the 1950s in North America and Europe may have encouraged antibiotic-resistant bacteria to evolve and spread, report scientists. Bacteria that can pass on genes resistant to ampicillin, one of the most commonly used antibiotics today, emerged several years before the widespread use of this antibiotic in humans, according to new research. Molecular analysis of historical samples of Salmonella by researchers at the Institut Pasteur (Paris, France) suggests that the ampicillin resistance gene (blaTEM-1) emerged in humans in the 1950s, several years before the antibiotic was released onto the pharmaceutical market. The findings also indicate that a possible cause was the common practice of adding low doses of penicillin to animal feed in the 1950s and 60s. The study comes just weeks after WHO called for the end to routine antibiotic use to promote growth and prevent disease in healthy farm animals.

A new alternative to antibiotics.

The method of use of antibiotics in man, animals and in agriculture has been fingered as the major cause of antibiotics resistance which has emerged as a global problem. There has been various methods of curbing antibiotics use in different circles but now a latest alternative to antibiotics has been tried with successful outcomes.

 The new research carried out in Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and published recently in Nature Scientific Reports combines the use of metals and organic acids as a viable alternative to antibiotics. There has been various researches where different interventions have been applied with success. 

These numerous alternatives to antibiotics are already being tested by different researchers around the world. Two of the most popular alternatives are the use of metals such as silver, zinc, and copper which were used in ancient Egypt and Greece for treating infection and purifying water sources, and the use of organic acids such as food acid that is used as a preservative in the food industry.

 This new research now combined the 2 alternatives which is organic acids and metals at a low concentration, and found that the combination is extremely effective in eradicating pathogenic bacteria such as cholera, salmonella, and Pseudomonas, as well as eliminating bacteria that attack agricultural crops such as tomatoes, melons, and apples.

How to use green tea leaves to boost production in poultry.

The use of green tea as a feed additive to boost production in poultry has shown immense benefits in terms of quality of birds,size of eggs and the growth phase with the birds reaching maturity faster. 

The race to start production in poultry without antibiotics has brought a lot of innovations with many scholars turning to plants and plant extracts and herbs to boost production. 

 A study in Bangladesh has shown that antibiotic-free poultry production is possible by using green tea as a feed additive.The study showed that 0.25% of green tea ,250 grams in every 100 kilograms of feed as feed additive could bring better results than the use of antibiotics in poultry production. 

 Another study showed the potency of green tea additive as a potent deworming agent and also as an anticoccidial agent. Birds fed the extract demonstrated better gut health as demonstrated by absence of coccidiosis in the flock. Birds were bigger than birds not fed the tea extracts,as the birds had better feed utilization thus promoting growth. 

The green tea extract contains flavonoids which are powerful antioxidants, amino acids, xanthine alkaloids, vitamin and minerals, which are safe for humans making the extract a substitute for antibiotic growth promoters.

Diagnosis of enteric diseases in pigs(1).

Sampling by walking: The socks will be 
analysed after having visited the batch. In Denmark, reducing antibiotic treatments in Danish pig production has been a political aim for the past 20 years. A total ban on growth promoters was issued in 1999 which led to a situation where veterinarians only prescribe antibiotics for treatment of clinical cases of disease. As a consequence of an increased total consumption, the yellow card system was issued in 2008 - where farmers who exceed a certain level of antibiotics are penalized by the public authorities. It has resulted in more focus on reducing the antibiotic consumption, through prevention but also by reducing the number of treatment days and the dosage. This increased focus on reduction of antibiotic consumption has led to diseases like diarrhoea and intestinal infections being quite widespread in Denmark, especially in weaners but also finisher pigs where treatments for diarrhoea and intestinal infections are the number one indication for treatment. This has enhanced a lot of researches and techniques for the purpose of improving diagnostics for intestinal infections and, in the end, improving the possibilities of treatment and reducing the antibiotic consumption for these diseases. It became apparent from these studies that so-called Lawsonia diarrhoea was also caused by other bacteria, including E. coli, Brachyspira species and of course Lawsonia intracellularis. In the same period, quantitative PCR tests were developed, and these were validated in research projects in order to improve the diagnostic possibilities for each practicing veterinarian. This has led to the development of what is generally known as ‘the sock method’ which consists of taking a standard sock, walking around all pens in the section to be tested, and the sock is then tested with the quantitative PCR test. The number of bacteria can be used to assess the financial impact and whether there are health-related conditions present in the animals tested. One of the major challenges as a consequence of the reduction of antibiotics is that seven days’ treatment at certain times has been reduced to mainly clinical indication of maximum five days and in many cases down to three days’ treatment. At the same time, the dosage of antibiotics has also sometimes been reduced. Based on these changes in treatment strategies, the timing of antibiotic treatments at batch level has become extremely important. There is a very big risk of targeting pigs for antibiotic treatment at the wrong time and being either too soon or too late. This phenomenon is known from practice, but also from research it has turned out that batches of pigs without signs of diarrhoea can still reveal a very large proportion of animals having intestinal infections. On the other hand, there are situations where there are actually outbreaks of clinical diarrhoea with no or a low occurrence of bacterial intestinal infections in the pigs that have diarrhoea. These situations include conditions as ‘unspecific colitis’ or the newly defined ‘low pathogen’ (LP) diarrhoea. In a present PhD study, it is considered whether sock samples and laboratory diagnostics could be used routinely as a decision tool for determining when treatment should be started in the individual batch. The first preliminary results indicate that it is possible to a certain extent, but currently this would require repeated laboratory tests in each batch of pigs, taking up a considerable amount of time and effort. There is therefore a professional reason to develop such so-called ‘pen site tests’ where farmers will be able to assess the level of pathogens on a daily basis – even in batches without any clinical signs of disease. materials from pig progress.

THYME EXTRACT AS A GROWTH PROMOTER IN BROILERS.

Antibiotics have been banned as a growth promoter but, there are alternative feed additives that can improve broiler performance. Thyme oil is an important antibiotic alternative .The use of antibiotics in poultry feed has demonstrated beneficial effects with regard to improved performance and morbidity in broiler chickens. However, the occurrence of antibiotic residues in products and the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has resulted in the ban of its use as growth promoter. Alternative feed additives in animal rations may also improve broiler performance. Essential oils, organic acids, and phytogenic compounds such as thyme oil are important antibiotic alternatives. Essential oils consist of several active compounds, with some of them comprising more than 60 individual components that can inhibit the growth of certain microorganisms, as Salmonella spp and other pathogens.The chemical composition of essential oils is variable. The primary components are the major active ingredients, whereas the secondary components act synergistically to increase the total effectiveness. It has been reported that dietary thyme (major components thymol and carvacrol) had a different effect on weight gain and body mass when used as an herb or oil; there is limited evidence whether its inclusion as a solid herb material would have a growth-promoting effect in live birds. The effects of dietary thyme-oil-extract fortification on immune functions of male broiler chicks were therefore determined. In a 42 day feeding trial the effect of dietary thyme-oil extract supplementation on immune functions of male broiler chicks were assessed by feeding graded levels (50, 100, 200, or 400 ppm). Negative-control diet with no feed-additive supplementation and 2 positive-control groups supplemented with virginiamycin or zinc bacitracin were included. Diet modifications had no significant effect on blood leukocyte sub populations and heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, dietary supplementation with thyme-oil extract, especially at the level of 100 ppm, improved immunological responses of broiler chicks. The inclusion of thyme in diets of broilers will not only increase weight gain but will improve performance. Excerpts from pig progress.

Scientists find how 'superbugs' build their defenses.

Scientists in Britain have found how drug-resistant bacteria build and maintain a defensive wall — a discovery that paves the way for the development of new drugs to break through the barrier and kill the often deadly “superbugs”. In recent decades, bacteria resistant to multiple drugs, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or Clostridium difficile, have grown into a global health threat, while superbug strains of infections like tuberculosis and gonorrhoea have become untreatable. The World Health Organization has warned that many antibiotics could become redundant this century, leaving patients vulnerable to deadly infections and threatening the future of medicine. Researchers publishing a study in the journal Nature on Monday said knowing the mechanism bacteria use to keep up their defences brings scientists closer to solving the problem of antibiotic resistance, since new treatments can be designed to weaken those defences rather than attack the bacteria directly. This means that in future, bacteria may not develop drug-resistance at all, they said. The team led by Changjiang Dong, a professor at Britain’s University of East Anglia, used a machine called Diamond Light Source — which produces intense light 10 billion times brighter than the sun — to investigate in tiny detail a class of bugs known as Gram-negative bacteria. Gram-negative bacteria are particularly resistant to antibiotics because their cells have an impermeable lipid-based outer membrane which acts as a defensive barrier against attacks from the body’s immune system and from antibiotic drugs. Dong’s team zeroed in on the defensive wall and found that it is built and maintained by what they described as a beta-barrel assembly machinery (BAM) containing five sub-units called BamA, BamB, BamC, BamD and BamE. They then figured out how these sub-units work together to form and maintain the cell membrane, and crucially, how to disrupt that mechanism. “The beta-barrel assembly machinery is responsible for building the ‘gates’ in the cell wall,” Dong explained. “Stopping the beta-barrel assembly machine from building the gates in the cell wall cause the bacteria to die.” The study found that the sub-unit BamA, which is found in the outer membrane and exposed to the outer side of the bacteria, is a key component of the mechanism — making it “a great target” for new drugs, Dong’s team said.

AN ALTERNATIVE TO ANTIBIOTICS IN PIG PRODUCTION.

A new study has shown that piectasin,could be an effective alternative to use of antibiotics in pig industry. Piectasin is an antimicrobial peptide: which can be isolated from a wide range of animals, plants, and bacterial species.They are small cationic molecules and Compared to conventional antibiotics, the antimicrobial peptides has a broader spectrum. The antimicrobial peptides have a more rapid killing action and highly selective toxicity. The researchers explained that growth performance effects have often been observed, and most importantly ,Bacteria have difficulty in developing resistance against these peptides due to their ability to disrupt bacterial membranes via non-specific electrostatic interactions with the membrane lipid components. This fact makes the antimicrobial peptides an alternative to antibiotics for use in livestock industry. The aim of the study was to determine the effects of the recombinant piectasin on growth performance and intestinal health in weaned pigs.The scientists wrote: "In total, 24 four weaned pigs were randomly assigned to one of four treatments, including a corn-soybean basal diet, the basal diet supplemented with antibiotics (60 mg/kg colistin sulfate), probiotics (Bacillus subtilis ≥109 CFU/g) and recombinant piectasin (60 mg/kg)." The results of the 21-day study showed that dietary supplementation with antibiotics and piectasin had positive effects on the average daily feed intake (ADFI) and body-weight gain (ADG). The scientists stated: "Compared with the corn-soybean basal diet, the ratio of feed to gain (feed conversion ratio, FCR) and diarrhoea rate in both groups were significantly reduced. Pigs fed the diets containing antibiotics and piectasin had a higher villus height and a higher disaccharidase activity in the small intestinal mucosa." The "Piectasin supplementation also significantly increased the abundance of Bifidobacterium in the ileum. Interestingly, piectasin elevated the absorption of xylose and the expression levels of tight junction protein CLDN1 and ZO-1 in the small intestinal mucosa. The results suggest piectasin may be an effective alternative to antibiotics for the pig industry." source; pig progress.

Horse dung has scientists on scent of antibiotic success

The key to creating the next generation of antibiotics could lie in horse dung. That's according to researchers at ETH Zurich and the University of Bonn who have produced copsin, an antibiotic protein compound, in the common inky cap mushroom that grows in manure. A new protein with antibiotic properties has been found in a mushroom that grows on horse dung. Researchers are now exploring the various potential applications.Microbiologists and molecular biologists at ETH Zurich and the University of Bonn have discovered a new agent in fungi that kills bacteria. The substance, known as copsin, has the same effect as traditional antibiotics, but belongs to a different class of biochemical substances. Copsin is a protein, whereas traditional antibiotics are often non-protein organic compounds. Copsin belongs to the group of defensins, a class of small proteins produced by many organisms to combat microorganisms that cause disease. The human body also produces defensins to protect itself against infections. They have been found, for example, on the skin and in the mucous membranes. story from science daily.

Teenager infected with rat-bite fever from her pet rodent .

A 17-year-old woman was infected with the rare, but treatable rat-bite fever, that developed from pet rodents that lived in her bedroom, report the doctors who treated her.Rat-bite fever has been reported in writings dating as far back as 2300 years. It was originally described as a disease of the poor, but these days most cases occur in lab workers or in children with pet rodents.The condition is often goes unrecognized and undiagnosed. Most cases of rat-bite fever involve a bite or scratch from a rodent, but there are several reports of infection without direct bacterial inoculation. The young woman was admitted to hospital with pain in her right hip and lower back that had continued for two days and led to immobility. Over the proceeding two weeks, she had an intermittent fever, nausea and vomiting, and a pink rash on her hands and feet.Her nausea and vomiting improved, but the fever continued, and she had tenderness of a joint in her pelvis, and pain in her right leg. The doctors learnt that the woman had numerous pets including a dog, cat, horse and three pet rats. The rodents lived in her bedroom. One of these rats had died 3 weeks prior to onset of her symptoms.A blood test returned positive for --the most common cause of ratbite fever.The disease can have mortality as high as 13%, if left untreated. Fortunately, the woman underwent 4 weeks of antibiotics. After 5 days, her rash and fever disappeared, and the joint pain in her pelvis improved over the following weeks. She made a full recovery. Story source ; Science daily.

DYSBIOSIS.

This basically refers to an imbalance in the gut flora leading to various illness such as inflammatory bowel disease,cancer, bacterial vaginosis and colitis.

The disruption in the normal flora of the gut is largely due to abuse of antibiotics which not only have harmful effect in man but in animals as well.

 Campylobacter is an important player here; causes intestinal infections as it normally inhabits the gut of warm blooded animals such as poultry and cattle and are usually detected in products derived from them. 

Campylobacter are the major causes of food borne illness in homes,usually characterized by abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea.

 The prevention of food illness from campylobacter is to embrace basic food hygiene protocol and cook beef and poultry thoroughly as the bacteria is killed by heat.

EYE HEALTH IN DOGS.

Eyes of the dog should be checked regularly as they are pointers to the state of health.Eye infections can be localized or it can be a spill over of a systemic infection.Eyes should be bright,clear ,clean and must not exhibit any discharges, must not be red or blood shoot. Dogs sometimes present sleepy dust,which is simply dried mucus ,a natural protective secretion that keeps eyes clean.This is easily removed by using moist cotton balls. The eye conditions include conjunctivitis, abscesses, pink eye,tumors, entropion and ectropion. Conjunctivitis is the most common,this is the inflammation of the eye's protective mucous membrane. The eye is usually red, swollen and with watery or mucoid discharges when its an irritation or allergy or trauma. When there is an infection ,the eyes are red,swollen and discharges become yellow to green. Treatment; 1)clean the affected eye.with moist cotton. 2)note type of discharge. 3) apply an eye drop; that has anti inflammatory and antibiotic properties. 4) give vitamin c supplement and cool water. 5) prevent exposure to sun.

Meat groups reassure consumers about antibiotics

Meat groups reassure consumers about antibiotics

COLIC SURGERY.

Colic surgeries are common procedures in equine veterinary medicine, but do you know what to expect after your horse recovers from anesthesia? Equally as important as knowing whether you should send a horse to surgery is understanding what to prepare for once he’s back in his own stall.Learn all you need to know here;http://www.thehorse.com/articles/36718/what-to-expect-after-colic-surgery?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=nutrition&utm_campaign=11-16-2015

STRANGLES IN HORSES.

Strangles in horses caused by streptococcus equi,is a very contagious respiratory disease.All horse ages can be affected but foals and travel horses are very susceptible.The incubation period is 2 weeks but the affected horses still shed bacteria for longer periods,thus their can be new incidence on farm after index case.The form of infection is direct or indirect route, the direct route usually through water buckets where bacteria can survive for long periods of time.10% of affected horses become carriers. The common signs are fever,nasal discharge,cough,depression,lack of appetite,enlarged lymph nodes that form abscess that eventually ruptures.The affected horses may or may not show classical signs aside from fever,hence the conditions can go un diagnosed on the farm. There are certain complications in strangles infection which makes condition fatal; 1) Abscesses can be formed in other body organs referred to as "bastard strangles".2) Purpura haemorrhagia ;where the blood vessels are damaged and can be identified by swollen limbs,blood blisters around eyes and lips.This can lead to death because of circulatory failure. Prevention. 1) vaccination. 2) separate/isolate horses by ages and susceptibility status. 3) strict bio security protocol. 4) limit number of horses/ stable/barn in the farm. Treatment. 1) isolate affected horses. 2) use dedicated feed/water bowl. 3) restrict movement, do not turn on pasture. 4) proper manure management/disposal. 5)antibiotics. 6) wound treatment to prevent fly strikes. 6) vitamin supplement .

THE USE OF ANTIBIOTICS IN POULTRY.

The use of antibiotics in poultry is a cause of concern especially because of antibiotic residues and resultant superbugs.The judicious use of antibiotics are highlighted here; http://poultryhealthtoday.com/judicious-antibiotic-use-what-does-it-mean-in-poultry/?utm_source=PHT+eBlast+List&utm_campaign=b5a77e0a0a-Wages_Judicious_Antibiotics10_27_2015&utm_medi

FISH HEALTH .

Fish should be observed on a regular basis for signs of ill health,stress or any discomfort.This is the main reason why you must master your fish behavior;swimming patterns,feeding and response to stimuli so that any changes will be noticed and addressed. There must be an operational protocol,where the pipe works, pumps and general system are checked for leaks,damage,breaks or blockages . The pond is the controlled environment of the fish,and the health status of the fish is hinged on its stability and balance. Potential problems /deaths in ponds has been traced to biofilters.When nitrogenous wastes accumulate in ponds,they increase ammonia levels in ponds,causing death of microrganism in the biofilters which results in mass death of fish. The water parameters are to be checked at regular intervals as these are indicators of fish health status; dissolved oxygen,temperature,ammonia level,nitrate,nitrite,pH and phosphate are very important. Fish health can be judged good/bad based on observation.When fish are flicking or flashing its an indication of parasitic infestation or high nitrite concentration in water.Fish jumping also indicate parasitic infestation,gill problems or irritating contaminates in water. Rubbing against fish tank/wall is a clear indication of parasitic infestation.Stress is to be suspected when fish are swimming slowly,resting down in the pond and refusal of feed.Mucus covered fish points to stress as well as parasitic infestation Fish gasping for fresh air on water surface,or hanging around water inlet indicate a low level of dissolved oxygen in the pond. Parasitic infection could be by bacteria,fungi or viruses.Parasites could infect or infest the body of fish as in the case of fish lice,which causes severe irritation. When fish is observed with clamped fins,red streaks on skin its indicative of a bacterial infection,while whitish spots on fish giving a cotton-wool appearance is indicative of viral infection,these are usually complicated by secondary bacterial infection. Fish could also show lumps or pox-like lesion as in the case of carp pox,these usually disintegrate leaving ulcers that are also complicated by bacteria.Worms also affect health of fish,tapeworms in fish cause a change in body color resulting in dark-colored fish ,that are weak and swimming with open mouths The anchor worm causes proliferation of muscle. Fish farms must have some materials to facilitate easy management ,ease handling and ensure survival and health of fish.These include nets,water kit,bowl,gloves and indicator paper.

ANTIBIOTIC USE IN ANIMAL FEED AND ITS IMPACT ON HUMAN HEALTH.

Antibiotic resistance is one of the world's most pressing public health concern,the center for disease control and prevention records that 2 million illnesses and 23,000 deaths are caused each year by antibiotic- resistant bacteria in the US alone.

This has prompted president Obama to sign an executive order September 2014,launching federal efforts to combat the rise in antibiotic-resistance bacterial illness. The order resulted in the constitution of a task force,comprising of representatives of agriculture colleges,universities,pharmaceutical industry,animal agriculture community,veterinarians and other stakeholders,with the goal to advice the government on research agenda for alternatives to antibiotics in animal feed and to help publicly disseminate information on the effects of antibiotics in production agriculture,the group is to submit a report early February 2015. 

 Scientist,food processors,food retailers, veterinarians and some concerned citizens have shown concern about the evolution of antibiotic-resistant bacteria referred to as superbugs in veterinary and human medicine.The W.H.O & C.D.C have expressed serious concern as well,that some bacteria have developed defenses against different classes of antibiotic compounds. 

The W.H.O has called antibiotic resistance a problem so serious that it threatens the achievement of modern medicine and if immediate actions are not initiated,the world might go back to "pre antibiotic era." The center for science and environment has reported that it has found some antibiotic residue in some chickens sampled in Delhi,India.

The center reports that the indiscriminate use of antibiotics in poultry production has been linked to growing antibiotic resistance in Indians. India is currently experiencing a deadly antibiotic-resistant bacteria epidemic,where tens of thousands of newborns are dying ;last year about 58,000 newborns died because medicine can no longer effectively treat bacterial infections, this has prompted the C.S.E to seek a ban on use of antibiotics in poultry.

Researchers have discovered superbugs carrying a genetic code first identified in India, in other countries such as France,Japan and U.S. All efforts must be geared towards the ban on antibiotics in animal feed,and also suitable alternatives must be initiated to achieve a healthy flock,optimum production and wholesome by-products.

There are some alternatives currently used by only few producers, such as the Atovi powder, probiotics,prebiotics, organic acids, inclusion of green algae and organic feed e.t.c if more producers imbibe other alternatives ,then superbugs era will soon be history. The superbugs effect has confirmed that;WE ARE WHAT WE FEED OUR ANIMALS. JOIN THE CHANGE MOVEMENT!!!! SAY NO TO ANTIBIOTICS IN ANIMAL FEED.