Antibiotic zealots better include the human animal when they lobby for prudent antibiotic. That’s according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in early May.
Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, June 27, 2016.
Per 1,000 members of the U.S. population, an estimated 506 prescriptions were written annually. Of these, 353 were deemed appropriate based on the JAMA published article, “Prevalence of Inappropriate Antibiotic Prescriptions Among U.S. Ambulatory Care Visits.” That means 30 percent were unnecessary and potentially could contribute to antibiotic resistance.
INSIGHTS: Advocates continue to point at animals as the leading cause of antibiotic resistance. Animal health professionals frequently have to defend production practices. This article gives us more perspective for those discussions.