XVETs’ stand on Antibiotic Awareness Week by World Health Organization
Antibiotics are antimicrobial agents which have been employed to inhibit infections caused by bacteria. We have to mention of course that antibiotics have revolutionized human health and animal production. Antibiotics were widely used for treatment purposes, and in sub-therapeutic dosages as a growth promoter or prophylaxis in animal production. However due to the abuse, and the inclusion of human antibiotics into this practice, lately the ideal of “farm-to-fork” safe food concept has been altered, resulting in considerable risks for consumers. The biggest being antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and their impact on human health. Those molecules which became ineffective through bacterial resistance, are causing now higher medical costs, prolonged hospital stays, and increased death cases. Surprisingly, 25,000 people are dying each year across Europe from antimicrobial-resistant infections. Moreover, U.K. government estimates that drug-resistant microbes could cause more than 10 million deaths, and cost the global economy $100 trillion by the year 2050.