August 17, 2005

China's pig disease outbreak due to Asian antibiotic overuse?

The widespread and indiscriminate use of antibiotics in Asia may have caused the spread of a pig-borne disease in southwest China.

Streptococcus suis, which had rarely spread to humans previously and should have been easily controlled if treated early with antibiotics, has infected 214 people and killed 39 in China's Sichuan province. There were also reports that many victims died within a day of showing symptoms.

The pig disease, along with bird flu outbreaks in Asia, is now putting the spotlight on the over-aggressive use of antibiotic use in animals and humans.

Sichuan University microbiology professor Li Mingyuan pointed out that streptococcus suis is not a very resistant bacterium and should be killed easily by penicillin.

However, the streptococcus pneumonia is now not only resistant to penicillin, it is also becoming resistant to a class of powerful antibiotics called quinolones, said a pharmacist at Queen Elizabeth Mary Hospital in Hong Kong, Raymond Mak.

Scientists also put part of the blame on doctors, many of whom readily dispense antibiotics to patients without doing proper lab tests. Antibiotics are also readily available over the counter.

As it is, antibiotic shelf lives are getting shorter-from 20 years previously to 5-10 years today, according to William Chui, pharmacology honorary associate professor at the University of Hong Kong.

As such, there is a need for governments to monitor the use of antibiotics in both animals and humans, Chui added.