January 8, 2007

 

New Zealand study finds antibiotics has become ineffective in chickens

 

 

Around 99 per cent of the bacterium enterococcus faecalis found in chicken guts are resistant to specific antibiotics commonly used in New Zealand and overseas, according to New Zealand's researchers, making it largely ineffective.

 

The team, from Otago University is now designing a new drug to help combat the resistance. If successful, it could eventually be used with antibiotics to improve their effectiveness.

 

New Zealand's poultry industry consumes roughly 26 tonnes of antibiotics each year.

 

Lead researcher, Associate Professor Greg Cook said it would be better if the poultry industry did not use antibiotics, pointing out that if 99 percent of the bacteria is resistant, it would be pointless to feed it.

 

However, he said producers would be unlikely to stop as they would not want to take the risk of their chickens dying.

 

Green Party health spokeswoman, Sue Kedgley, said the high level of antibiotics use was a big concern, especially when the vast majority of the antibiotics were fed to healthy chickens.

 

Antibiotics have been used for more than 40 years to keep birds free of illness, particularly those in chicken intestines, the Poultry Industry Association of NZ said.

 

The association's website says antibiotics in feed reduce the incidence of intestinal disease, allowing the birds to digest feed better and to fight illness.

 

The correct selection of and prudent use of the right antibiotic minimises the risk of resistance developing, the association said. 

 

Cook has long been a campaigner against the use of antibiotics and expressed frustration at the obstacles the poultry industry has put in the way of his research. He previously attempted to secure funding for research into antibiotic resistance and the implications for human health, but was turned down by the Health Research Council.