Our Products Improve Livestock Farming and Aquaculture

Antimicrobial Resistance

Proteon’s bacteriophage products are designed to proactively tackle the spread of antimicrobial resistance in livestock farming and aquaculture. They are an effective novel tool that substantially reduces the need for antibiotic use and can even help reduce the presence of antimicrobial resistant bacteria in the environment.

Definition

Antimicrobial Resistance

The World Health Organization has declared that Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is one of the top 10 global public health threats faced by humanity. It occurs when microorganisms causing disease change over time and stop responding to the medicines that were previously effective.

The emergence and spread of AMR has been linked to the overuse or misuse of antibiotics in humans and animals. Livestock farming and Aquaculture account for a significant part of used antibiotics. The studies have shown that over 70% of antibiotics used worldwide are attributed to animal industry.

AMR poses a threat to effective treatments of a range of diseases, therefore it renders a serious risk to public health. It has also become a major sustainability risk together with climate change. The burden of AMR to the global economy is drastically high. Mortality and economic impact of AMR is estimated to reach 10 million deaths per year by 2050, costing up to $100 trillion.

Impacts

AMR in bacteria: Salmonella and E. coli

Widespread use of antibiotics in livestock serves to promote growth and prevent illnesses, however the excessive use on farms is boosting the rise of drug-resistant bacteria, which can spread between humans, from animal to human, and vice versa, including from food to animal origin.

In intensive livestock production systems, antibiotic-resistant resistant bacteria can spread easily between animals and this can be exacerbated if biosecurity is inadequate. The percent of Salmonella Typhimurium infections nonsusceptible to ciprofloxacin (an antibiotic to treat urinary tract infection) reached 74% in 2017 in USA, severely limiting treatment options. The rate of antimicrobial resistance for Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli from ciprofloxacin varied from 8.4% to 92.9% in countries reporting to the Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) in 2019.

Salmonella superbugs on the rise

Public health officials fear that antibiotics use on poultry farms is boosting the rise of antimicrobial-resistant Salmonella. The U.S. government does not require meat companies to automatically recall chicken products that test positive for Salmonella.

Global action on Antimicrobial Resistance

AMR is a comprehensive global challenge which needs to be tackled at an international level. The stakeholders from diversified sectors involved in aquaculture, poultry, animal and human health, feed additives, food production and sustainable environment need to join and implement policies and framework for better outcomes to tackle AMR through controlling its emergence and minimizing the opportunities to spread.

How Proteon can help you contribute to solving the challenges

Bacteriophages as a tool reducing AMR pace

Bacteriophages, also commonly known as phages, are viruses that attack and infect bacteria. They occur naturally and are the most populous organisms on the planet. Each bacteriophage is specific to one speciesof bacterium. For every known bacteria variety, there is at least one bacteriophage.

Proteon’s bacteriophage products are designed to proactively tackle the spread of antimicrobial resistance in livestock farming and aquaculture, while not changing the phage’s natural qualities. They are an effective novel tool that substantially reduces the need for antibiotic use and can even help reduce the spread of antimicrobial resistant bacteria in the environment.

Where Do We Operate

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Headquarters & Legal Address:
UI. Tylna 3a 90-364 Lodz, Poland
Commercial Office Address
LIM Center 18th Floor AI. Jerfozolimskie 65/79, 00-697 Warsaw, poland
Asia Office Address
VETPHAGE PHARMACEUTICALS PRIVATE LIMITED A-310, Western Edge II, Behind Metro Mall,Western Express Highway, Borivali East, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. 400 066

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Sources

Antimicrobial Resistance, World Health Organization:Available Here
Antibiotic resistance threats in the United States 2019, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Available Here
Reducing antimicrobial use in food animals, National Library of Medicine: Available Here
Salmonella superbugs on the rise, Reuters Investigates: Available Here
Will 10 Million People Die a Year due to Antimicrobial Resistance by 2050?, National Library of Medicine: Available Here
Proteon Pharmaceuticals Internal Researches