European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)

Report of the Task Force on Zoonoses Data Collection including a proposal for a harmonized monitoring scheme of antimicrobial resistance in Salmonella in fowl (Gallus gallus), turkeys and pigs and Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli in broilers

Question number: EFSA-Q-2006-046

Summary  (0.1Mb)

Report  (1.1Mb)

Summary

Presently many Member States monitor antimicrobial resistance in zoonotic agents, including Salmonella and Campylobacter. According Directive 2003/99/EC, Member States shall ensure that the monitoring provides comparable data on the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance. The European Commission has asked the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to prepare detailed specifications for harmonized schemes on antimicrobial resistance.

The objective of these specifications is to lay down provisions for a monitoring and reporting scheme in Salmonella in fowl (Gallus gallus), turkeys, and pigs and Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli in broilers. This should help Member States to provide antimicrobial resistance data that is comparable and enable risk managers to consider provisions for harmonised monitoring. The current specifications are considered as a first step towards a gradual implementation of comprehensive antimicrobial resistance monitoring at the Community level.

These specifications propose to test a common set of antimicrobials using common epidemiological cut-off values and a specified concentration range to determine the susceptibility of Salmonella and Campylobacter. Using isolates collected through programmes to estimate the prevalence of zoonotic agents, the target number of Salmonella isolates to be included in the antimicrobial resistance monitoring per Member State per year is 170 for each study population (i.e. laying hens, broilers, turkeys and slaughter pigs). The target number of Campylobacter isolates to be included in the antimicrobial resistance monitoring per Member State per year is 170 for each study population (i.e. broilers).

The results of the antimicrobial resistance monitoring are assessed and reported, in accordance with Directive 2003/99/EC, in the yearly national report on trends and sources of zoonoses, zoonotic agents and antimicrobial resistance.

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[1] For citation purposes: Report of the Task Force of Zoonoses Data Collection including a proposal for a harmonized monitoring scheme of antimicrobial resistance in Salmonella in fowl (Gallus gallus), turkeys, and pigs and Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli in broilers, the EFSA Journal (2007), 96,1-46