APHA against cattle antibiotic use.APHA is urging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to reject the use of a class of antibiotics known as cephalosporins Cephalosporins Definition Cephalosporins are medicines that kill bacteria or prevent their growth. Purpose Cephalosporins are used to treat infections in different parts of the body—the ears, nose, throat, lungs, sinuses, and to treat cattle respiratory diseases, citing concerns that its use will contribute to antibiotic resistance antibiotic resistance, n the ability of certain strains of microorganisms to develop resistance to antibiotics. antibiotic resistance in humans. In an April 2 letter to FDA FDA abbr. Food and Drug Administration FDA, n.pr See Food and Drug Administration. FDA, n.pr the abbreviation for the Food and Drug Administration. Commissioner Andrew C. von Eschenbach, MD, APHA noted that FDA's own Veterinary Medicine veterinary medicine, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of animals. An early interest in animal diseases is found in ancient Greek writings on medicine. Veterinary medicine began to achieve the stature of a science with the organization of the first school in the Advisory Committee voted to reject the drug for use in cattle in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. , as it was found "not safe" for human health. According to the letter, approving the drug cefquinome for cattle may increase human resistance to fourth-generation cephalosporins, which are now used to treat people with pneumonia and resistant infections. Currently in the United States, no fourth-generation cephalosporins are okayed for use among animals raised for human consumption. InterVet Inc., an animal health company, wants to market cefquinome for cattle use. "It is prudent to limit use of this important class of antibiotics now rather than after a problem arises," APHA Executive Director Georges Benjamin, MD, FACP FACP Fellow of the American College of Physicians. FACP abbr. 1. Fellow of the American College of Physicians 2. Fellow of the American College of Prosthodontists , wrote in the letter. In its letter, APHA highlighted a similar situation FDA faced just a few years ago. In 1995, FDA approved the use of Baytril, a member of the antibiotic class known as fluoroquinolones, for use in chickens despite warnings from public health experts that it could lead to antibiotic resistance in humans. Five years after approval, FDA concluded that using fluoroquinolones in chickens had implications for antibiotic resistance in humans and stopped their use. Cefquinome is now used in Europe among animals, and scientists have noted an increase in resistance to cephalosporins among bacteria. |
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