Nykäsenoja, Suvi; Kivilahti-Mäntylä, Katariina; Eskola, Katarina; Olkkola, Satu; Pohjanvirta, Tarja; Biström, Mia; Grönthal, Thomas; Kaartinen, Liisa; Kalenius, Saija; Helin-Soilevaara, Henriette; Raunio-Saarnisto, Mirja; Pekkanen, Katariina; Muhonen, Tita-Maria
(Finnish Food Authority, 2021)
Finnish Food Authority publications ; 6/2021
Sales of antibiotics for use in animals in Finland in 2020 were lower than ever reported. The decreased sales from 2019 to 2020 was largely attributed to decreased manufacturing of medicated feed to fur animals. The majority, almost three quarters, of all antimicrobial products were given to individual animals, and products intended for group treatment accounted for just over one quarter. The most-sold antimicrobial continues to be injectable penicillin followed by orally administered sulfonamide-trimethoprim combinations and orally administered tetracyclines. Sales of reserve antimicrobials (HPCIA, WHO list ) for the treatment of animals remained very low also in 2020.
The antibiotic resistance situation in bacteria from animals and food has remained relatively good in Finland. However, in certain bacterial species resistance was detected in moderate or high levels. Therefore, the need remains to further emphasise the preventive measures and prudent use of antibiotics. It is important to follow the Finnish recommendations for the use of antimicrobials in animals.
Among salmonella and campylobacter from Finnish food-producing animals, resistance levels were low. Since 2014, the proportions of fluoroquinolone and tetracycline resistant broiler campylobacter isolates have varied. In bovine campylobacters, especially fluoroquinolone resistance has increased in the 2010’s.
Resistance situation among indicator E. coli from broilers and cattle has remained good. The prevalence of ESBL/AmpC-producing bacteria in slaughtered broilers and in broiler meat at retail has decreased significantly and was very low in 2020. ESBL/AmpC bacteria were detected at low level from slaughtered cattle.
The development of resistance situation among pathogenic bacteria isolated from food-producing animals varied between bacterial species but changes were overall small. Resistant isolates were still detected most commonly among enterotoxigenic E. coli from pigs. Among bacteria isolated from companion animals, the development of resistance situation varied during the follow-up period, and the slow decrease in resistance did not continue as clearly. Among canine E. coli strains that were resistant to third-generation cephalosporins, the relative proportion of AmpC producers increased, and ESBL strains were less common.