Antimicrobial resistance is a growing threat not only to human health but also to food security.
According to the results of the assessment of antibiotic resistance of intestinal pathogens, which was conducted within the framework of the joint project of the Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) ‘Keeping Animal Health in Ukraine’ and with the participation of 20 pig farms, it was found that the largest proportion of non-haemolytic E.coli isolates showed resistance to the following antibiotics tetracycline (100%), chlortetracycline (95%), oxytetracycline (90%), doxycycline (52%).
Haemolytic E.coli strains showed resistance in a smaller number of cases: chlortetracycline and tetracycline in 67%, and oxytetracycline and trimethoprim with sulfamethoxazole in 33%, respectively.
Therefore, to improve the situation in the industry, it is important to systematically monitor the resistance of major pathogens to antibiotics in order to detect multidrug-resistant microorganisms in a timely manner and introduce alternative treatments.
The project ‘Keeping Animals Healthy in Ukraine’ aims to assess the risks of disease spread, raise awareness and advise on biosecurity and pig health, and improve disease surveillance and control at all stages of pork production. The initiative is supported by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders (AUPB).
The Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders is a non-profit, voluntary organisation founded by domestic pork producers. The main goals of the association are to represent and protect the rights and interests of the association's farms, promote the development and implementation of new technologies for efficient pork production, expand sales markets, and protect the domestic market.
