Antimicrobial Resistance

CIPARS publishes first annual report

The Canadian Integrated Program for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance (CIPARS) has released its first annual report, which summarises data collected during 2002 on antimicrobial resistance from human and animal samples¹. CIPARS was set up in 2002 to monitor trends in antimicrobial use and the development of resistance in selected bacterial species from human, animal and food sources across Canada. The annual report does not contain data on resistance in human Salmonella isolates or antimicrobial use in animals, although aspects of these will be included in the 2003 CIPARS report.

The report contains data that suggest that resistance may be increasing among certain strains of Salmonella: the reasons for this increase are currently unknown but may reflect individual exposure to antimicrobials, consumption of contaminated food products or exposure during international travel. In order to facilitate future analyses, a baseline evaluation of human consumption of antimicrobials has been carried out.

Data collected from abattoirs between September and December 2002 revealed resistance to one or more antimicrobials in 80% of generic Eschericha coli isolated from the intestines of chickens, 79% of intestinal isolates from swine and 31% of isolates from cattle. Resistance to one or more antimicrobials was found in 48% of Salmonella samples isolated from chickens and in 45% of samples isolated from swine. No resistance was found to fluoroquinolones, but resistance to ceftiofur was found in 10% of E coli and 12% of Salmonella isolated from healthy chickens at slaughter.

The report emphasises that these data should be considered as baseline measurements: future CIPARS data will permit analysis of temporal trends of use and resistance, and their correlation among livestock populations.

References

1. Canadian Integrated Program for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance (CIPARS) Annual Report 2002, March 2004, www.hc-sc.gc.ca