Victoria Albers' Annotated Bibliography

Allerberger, F., & Mittermayer, H. (2008, March). Antimicrobial stewardship. Clinical Microbiology & Infection, pp. 197-199. doi:10.1111/j.1469-0691.2007.01929.x.

This article by Allerberger and Mittermayer talks about the use of antimicrobial management programs, also called stewardship programs, and the various reasons why they are essential to society. Managing to provide optimal treatment outcomes, to minimize resistance, and to minimize cost are amongst those included. This paper explains how resistance needs to be managed by everyone, nationally and internationally and the difficulty of it.

Baker, R. (2006). Health Management with Reduced Antibiotic Use—The U.S. Experience. Animal Biotechnology, 17(2), 195-205. Retrieved from E-Journals database.

Baker provides an overview of the history of antimicrobials and their use in agriculture. His main focus is on the pork industry going in depth on the new antimicrobial-free production methods and the benefits and problems that are involved. He states the challenges that occur with this which include animal health issues as well as economic and producer factors.

Blázquez, J., Antonio Oliver, A., & Gómez, J. (2002). Mutation and Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance: Antibiotics as Promoters of Antibiotic Resistance? Current Drug Targets, 3(4), 345-349. Retrieved from E-Journals database.

This review discusses various methods on how bacteria develop resistance against antibiotics which include horizontal transference and hypermutability. This article goes into depth on the aspect of hypermutability and talks about its importance of its contribution to resistance. This paper in conclusion analyzes how antibiotics have the potential to select and/or promote resistance.

Goforth, R., & Goforth, C. (2000). APPROPRIATE REGULATION OF ANTIBIOTICS IN LIVESTOCK FEED. Boston College Environmental Affairs Law Review, 28(1), 39. Retrieved from EBSCO MegaFILE database.

This article analyzes research on the use of antibiotics at subtherapeutic levels in livestock feed and its linkage to resistance. It concludes that the risk to human health is greater than the economic benefit proving a need for a change in policy. The author proposes methods to minimize the spread of resistance which include cutting out antibiotics in feed as well as refusing to approve new drugs for subtheraputic uses.

Hoogenboom, L., Bokhorst, J., Northolt, M., de Vijver, L., Broex, N., Mevius, D., et al. (2008). Contaminants and microorganisms in Dutch organic food products: a comparison with conventional products. Food Additives & Contaminants Part A, 25(10), 1195-1207. Retrieved from E-Journals database.

This article is a study on the analysis of the presence of contaminants, microorganisms, and antibiotic resistance on organic versus conventional products. It was found that the organic products scored equally as well as conventional products did on food safety. The conclusion was that organic farming could provide promising advancements in regards to antibiotic resistance reduction.

McDermott, P., Zhao, S., Wagner, D., Simjee, S., Walker, R., & White, D. (2002). THE FOOD SAFETY PERSPECTIVE OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE. Animal Biotechnology, 13(1), 71-84. Retrieved from E-Journals database.

The authors of this article discuss in great detail the current increase in concern regarding therapeutic and subtheraputic antibiotic use in animals in relation to antibiotic resistance. The idea portrayed throughout this paper is that there are substantial information gaps and it is unknown whether or not the correlation between antibiotic use in animals and the increase in resistance is significant enough to further regulation and restriction of antibiotic use. What is know is that bacteria of human and animal origin are becoming increasingly resistant and further studies are essential for society’s welfare.

Salyers, A. (2002). AN OVERVIEW OF THE GENETIC BASIS OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE IN BACTERIA AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR AGRICULTURE. Animal Biotechnology, 13(1), 1-5. Retrieved from E-Journals database.

Salyers provides us in this article an overview of the genetic functions bacteria posses that provide them with the capability to develop resistance to antibiotics. It is discussed how this is a complex process and includes various methods including mutation and horizontal gene transfer. It is summarized that prudent antibiotic guidelines and regulations in agriculture must be defined just like those made my physicians to minimize resistance effects.

Schmidt, C. (2002). Antibiotic Resistance in Livestock: More at Stake than Steak. Environmental Health Perspectives, 110(7), A396. Retrieved from EBSCO MegaFILE database.

This article discusses the antibiotic resistance problem that occurs with the use of antibiotics in agriculture. It goes into great detail on how if a reduction in antibiotic use is to be implemented then changes in agricultural techniques need to be altered. There will have to be ways to minimize the spread of bacteria and promote good hygiene. Lastly, it is discussed how they can’t stop antibiotic use suddenly, there will have to be a transition phase to where agriculture can adapt.

Schwaiger, K., Schmied, E-M. V., & Bauer, J. (2008). Comparative Analysis of Antibiotic Resistance Characteristics of Gram-negative Bacteria Isolated from Laying Hens and Eggs in Conventional and Organic Keeping Systems in Bavaria, Germany. Zoonoses and Public Health, 55(7), 331-341. Retrieved from E-Journals database.

This study compares the differences of bacterial resistance patterns between organic and conventional agricultural methods. Their results indicate that the resistance rate and minimum inhibitory concentrations of bacteria from organic methods was less than conventional methods. It was concluded that organic farming contributes to further effectiveness of antibiotics.

Truant, P. (2005). Agricultural use of antibiotics prompts human health concerns. Nation's Health, 35(10), 8. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.

Truant discusses in the article the banning of enrofloxacin, an antibiotic used in poultry, due to the concern over the effects it has on resistance in humans. It is emphasized that it took 5 years to ban this drug and that the process is slow because of the inability to know exactly the details of if the antibiotics used in animals has an effect on resistance in humans. The main point to take from this article is that new methods of regulation and control of antibiotics need to be developed.