New European study links antibiotic use to antibiotic resistance

The link between the use of antibiotics in humans and food-producing animals and subsequent antibiotic resistance has been confirmed, according to a new study by three European food and medical agencies.The European Food Safety Authority, the European Medicines Agency and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control said the results of the study reflect improved surveillance across Europe when it comes to antibiotics consumption.The study indicates that overall antibiotic use is higher in food-producing animals than in humans, but the situation varies across countries and according to the antibiotics. Specifically, the study cites a class of antibiotics called polymyxins used widely in the veterinary sector and increasingly used in hospitals to treat multidrug-resistant infections.