posted 08-17-2000 02:15 AM            

Antibiotic resistance over the medium- to long-term is an inevitable consequence of antibiotic use. Ciprofloxacin and similar fluoroquinolones are the most effective drugs for treating many serious infections in humans, including some Salmonella infections (such as bacteremia or osteomyelitis). The prevalence of resistance to fluoroquinolones in human infections acquired from animals through the food chain is increasing (2,4). We should therefore avoid entirely the use of "last-line" human antibiotics such as fluoroquinolones (i.e., antibiotics for which there may be no alternatives if resistance develops) in livestock. All other antibiotics should be used only when there is no other way to prevent or treat infections.

Peter Collignon

The Canberra Hospital, Garran, Australia