Comparison of different approaches to antibiotic restriction in food-producing animals: stratified results from a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background We have previously reported, in a systematic review of 181 studies, that restriction of antibiotic use in food-producing animals is associated with a reduction in antibiotic-resistant bacterial isolates. While informative, that report did not concretely specify whether different types of...

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Main Authors: William A Ghali, Paul E Ronksley, Karen L Tang, Niamh P Caffrey, Diego B Nóbrega, Susan C Cork, Herman W Barkema, Alicia J Polachek, Heather Ganshorn, Nishan Sharma, James D Kellner, Sylvia L Checkley
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2019-07-01
Series:BMJ Global Health
Online Access:https://gh.bmj.com/content/4/4/e001710.full
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author William A Ghali
Paul E Ronksley
Karen L Tang
Niamh P Caffrey
Diego B Nóbrega
Susan C Cork
Herman W Barkema
Alicia J Polachek
Heather Ganshorn
Nishan Sharma
James D Kellner
Sylvia L Checkley
author_facet William A Ghali
Paul E Ronksley
Karen L Tang
Niamh P Caffrey
Diego B Nóbrega
Susan C Cork
Herman W Barkema
Alicia J Polachek
Heather Ganshorn
Nishan Sharma
James D Kellner
Sylvia L Checkley
author_sort William A Ghali
collection DOAJ
description Background We have previously reported, in a systematic review of 181 studies, that restriction of antibiotic use in food-producing animals is associated with a reduction in antibiotic-resistant bacterial isolates. While informative, that report did not concretely specify whether different types of restriction are associated with differential effectiveness in reducing resistance. We undertook a sub-analysis of the systematic review to address this question.Methods We created a classification scheme of different approaches to antibiotic restriction: (1) complete restriction; (2) single antibiotic-class restriction; (3) single antibiotic restriction; (4) all non-therapeutic use restriction; (5) growth promoter and prophylaxis restriction; (6) growth promoter restriction and (7) other/undetermined. All studies in the original systematic review that were amenable to meta-analysis were included into this substudy and coded by intervention type. Meta-analyses were conducted using random effects models, stratified by intervention type.Results A total of 127 studies were included. The most frequently studied intervention type was complete restriction (n=51), followed by restriction of non-therapeutic (n=33) and growth promoter (n=19) indications. None examined growth promoter and prophylaxis restrictions together. Three and seven studies examined single antibiotic-class and single antibiotic restrictions, respectively; these two intervention types were not significantly associated with reductions in antibiotic resistance. Though complete restrictions were associated with a 15% reduction in antibiotic resistance, less prohibitive approaches also demonstrated reduction in antibiotic resistance of 9%–30%.Conclusion Broad interventions that restrict global antibiotic use appear to be more effective in reducing antibiotic resistance compared with restrictions that narrowly target one specific antibiotic or antibiotic class. Importantly, interventions that allow for therapeutic antibiotic use appear similarly effective compared with those that restrict all uses of antibiotics, suggesting that complete bans are not necessary. These findings directly inform the creation of specific policies to restrict antibiotic use in food-producing animals.
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spelling doaj-art-ff99edfe3f884ad885ea6bbbe4864ece2024-12-14T20:10:09ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Global Health2059-79082019-07-014410.1136/bmjgh-2019-001710Comparison of different approaches to antibiotic restriction in food-producing animals: stratified results from a systematic review and meta-analysisWilliam A Ghali0Paul E Ronksley1Karen L Tang2Niamh P Caffrey3Diego B Nóbrega4Susan C Cork5Herman W Barkema6Alicia J Polachek7Heather Ganshorn8Nishan Sharma9James D Kellner10Sylvia L Checkley117 Department of Community Health Sciences, Calgary Institute for Population and Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaCalgary Institute for Population and Public Health, Department of Community Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 4Z6Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaDepartment of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaDepartment of Production Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaDepartment of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaDepartment of Production Animal Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaW21C Research and Innovation Centre, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaSciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaW21C Research and Innovation Centre, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaDepartment of Paediatrics, University of Calgary and Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaDepartment of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaBackground We have previously reported, in a systematic review of 181 studies, that restriction of antibiotic use in food-producing animals is associated with a reduction in antibiotic-resistant bacterial isolates. While informative, that report did not concretely specify whether different types of restriction are associated with differential effectiveness in reducing resistance. We undertook a sub-analysis of the systematic review to address this question.Methods We created a classification scheme of different approaches to antibiotic restriction: (1) complete restriction; (2) single antibiotic-class restriction; (3) single antibiotic restriction; (4) all non-therapeutic use restriction; (5) growth promoter and prophylaxis restriction; (6) growth promoter restriction and (7) other/undetermined. All studies in the original systematic review that were amenable to meta-analysis were included into this substudy and coded by intervention type. Meta-analyses were conducted using random effects models, stratified by intervention type.Results A total of 127 studies were included. The most frequently studied intervention type was complete restriction (n=51), followed by restriction of non-therapeutic (n=33) and growth promoter (n=19) indications. None examined growth promoter and prophylaxis restrictions together. Three and seven studies examined single antibiotic-class and single antibiotic restrictions, respectively; these two intervention types were not significantly associated with reductions in antibiotic resistance. Though complete restrictions were associated with a 15% reduction in antibiotic resistance, less prohibitive approaches also demonstrated reduction in antibiotic resistance of 9%–30%.Conclusion Broad interventions that restrict global antibiotic use appear to be more effective in reducing antibiotic resistance compared with restrictions that narrowly target one specific antibiotic or antibiotic class. Importantly, interventions that allow for therapeutic antibiotic use appear similarly effective compared with those that restrict all uses of antibiotics, suggesting that complete bans are not necessary. These findings directly inform the creation of specific policies to restrict antibiotic use in food-producing animals.https://gh.bmj.com/content/4/4/e001710.full
spellingShingle William A Ghali
Paul E Ronksley
Karen L Tang
Niamh P Caffrey
Diego B Nóbrega
Susan C Cork
Herman W Barkema
Alicia J Polachek
Heather Ganshorn
Nishan Sharma
James D Kellner
Sylvia L Checkley
Comparison of different approaches to antibiotic restriction in food-producing animals: stratified results from a systematic review and meta-analysis
BMJ Global Health
title Comparison of different approaches to antibiotic restriction in food-producing animals: stratified results from a systematic review and meta-analysis
title_full Comparison of different approaches to antibiotic restriction in food-producing animals: stratified results from a systematic review and meta-analysis
title_fullStr Comparison of different approaches to antibiotic restriction in food-producing animals: stratified results from a systematic review and meta-analysis
title_full_unstemmed Comparison of different approaches to antibiotic restriction in food-producing animals: stratified results from a systematic review and meta-analysis
title_short Comparison of different approaches to antibiotic restriction in food-producing animals: stratified results from a systematic review and meta-analysis
title_sort comparison of different approaches to antibiotic restriction in food producing animals stratified results from a systematic review and meta analysis
url https://gh.bmj.com/content/4/4/e001710.full
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