According to a recent European report,it ibecoming increasingly difficult to treat,with antibiotics, bacterial diseases that infect animals and humans.
The report contains data compiled by the European Agency for Disease Control (ECDC) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and is based on data from European countries in 2017 wrote the Veterinary Institute.
EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy and Food Safety,Vytenis Andriukaitis, believes the report must make alarm bells ring.
“This report shows that we are entering a world where more and more common bacterial infections become difficult,and in some cases impossible, to treat” he said.
He added that national guidelines in some countries have contributed to less use of antibiotics and a decrease in antibiotic resistance.
The use of antibiotics for both animals and humans is the most important driver for the development of antibiotic resistance.
Figures from the NORM-VET monitoring program show that there is a low prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in animals and in food in Norway. Senior scientist and subject manager for antibiotic resistance at the Veterinary Institute,Anne Margrete Urdahl, warned against becoming apathetic.
‘’We must listen to the serious warnings of the EFSA and ECDC report.They reminded us that although we are very good at the animal side in Norway,it requires hard work and great attention to antibiotic resistance to be able to maintain our good status as long as we can’’ she said.
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
