Salmonella and Campylobacter are becoming increasingly resistant to ciprofloxacin, one of the antibiotics of choice for treating infections caused by these bacteria. The conclusion is part of the latest report on antimicrobial resistance in zoonoses released by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which also presents some positive trends in the animal sector.
High proportions of resistance to ciprofloxacin are reported in Salmonella and E. coli bacteria from poultry. Ciprofloxacin is a fluoroquinolone, a class of antimicrobials categorized as critically important for use in humans. If fluoroquinolones lose their effectiveness, the impact on human health could be significant. However, combined resistance – simultaneous resistance to two critically important antimicrobials – to fluoroquinolones and third-generation cephalosporins in Salmonella and to fluoroquinolones and macrolides in Campylobacter remains low.
Antimicrobial resistance remains increasing despite new treatments being used. Sharpened by years of antibiotic misuse and overuse, these super microbes require new weapons to fight them.
With a decrease in the discovery rate of novel antibiotics, this risks humankind to go back to a “pre-antibiotic era” of clinical care. The most effective way to prevent the spread of resistant strains is still to continue screening and respond promptly to positive detections. Never the less bacteriophages embody one of the most promising alternatives to antibiotics for clinical use and may become one of the biggest hopes in the future for the treatment of resistant bacteria that do not respond to the treatment.
Sources :
https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/interactive-pages/AMR-Report-2018
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