USA: Antimicrobials in food-producing animals shows decline

The 2017 Summary Report on Antimicrobials Sold or Distributed for Use in Food-Producing Animals also shows that domestic sales and distribution of all medically important antimicrobials decreased 43 percent since 2015 (peak year of sales/distribution) and decreased 28 percent since the first year of reported sales in 2009. While sales data do not necessarily reflect actual antimicrobial use, the reduction in sales volume observed in 2016 and 2017 is an important indicator that ongoing efforts to support antimicrobial stewardship are having a significant impact.

Key observations from the report include:

• Domestic sales and distribution of medically important antimicrobials approved for use in food- producing animals:
  • decreased by 33% from 2016 through 2017.
  • decreased by 4 3% from 2015 (the year of peak sales) through 2017.
  • decreased by 28% from 2009 (the first year of reported sales) through 2017.
  • Tetracyclines, which represent the largest volume of these domestic sales (3 ,535,701 kg in 2017), decreased by 40% from 2016 through 2017.
• The domestic sales and distribution of medically important antimicrobials approved for use in food-producing animals that have an approved indication for production use decreased from 5,770,655 kg to 0 kg from 2016 through 2017 as a result of the implementation of GFI #213.
• The domestic sales and distribution of medically important antimicrobials approved for use in food- producing animals that are sold OTC decreased from 8,000,326 kg to 271,280 kg from 2016 through 2017 as a result of the implementation of GFI #213.
• Of the 2017 domestic sales and distribution of medically important antimicrobials approved for use in food-producing a nimals :
  • Tetracyclines accounted for 64 %, penicillins for 12%, macrolides for 8%, sulfas for 5%, aminoglycosides for 5 %, lincosamides for 3%, and cephalosporins and flu oroquinolones each for less than 1%.
  • An estimated 42 % was intended for use in cattle, an estimated 36% intended for use in swine, an estimated 12 % intended for use in turkeys , an estimated 5% intended for use in chickens, and an estimat ed 5% intended for use in other species/unknown.
  • An estimated 80% of cephalosporins, 72 % of sulfas, 48 % of aminoglycocides, and 44% of tetracyclines were intended for use in cattle . An estimated 84% of lincosamides and 40% of macrolides were intended for use in swine. An estimated 6 1% of penicillins were intended for use in turkey s