Abstract

The widespread and intensive use of antibiotic agents in modern food production systems is believed to be contributing significantly to antibiotic resistance among bacteria. Antibiotic usage in food-producing animals tend to be increasing and data show that even those that have been banned in other countries such as growth promoters are still being used in South Africa. Moreover, very few relatively recent surveys and reports on antibiotic resistance isolates from food animals in South Africa have been carried out and are crowded in Gauteng province. However, despite poor health status which include a large portion of bacterial infections, as well as HIV/AIDS epidemic and tuberculosis, South Africa has had the most active surveillance for antibiotic resistance of any African country. But, the concern is that it has not yet fully translated available antimicrobial resistance surveillance data into policy. Moreover, a national surveillance programme of antibiotics usage on the food-producing animals and antibiotic resistance is required to help to mitigate the problem of lack of availability of information.

Key words: Antibiotic, food-producing animals, bacteria, resistance, surveillance.