4 Annals of Saudi Medicine, Vol 22, Nos 1 -2, 2002 Original Articles USE OF ANTIBIOTICS IN THE POULTRY INDUSTRY IN SAUDI ARABIA: IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH Zaki H. Al-Mustafa, PhD; Mastour S. Al-Ghamdi, PhD Background: The use of antimicrobial agents in food-producing animals has become an important public health issue due to the spread of microbial resistance. This study was aimed at identifying the antimicrobial agents available for poultry use and highlighting their possible impact on public health. Materials and Methods: Twenty-three randomly selected poultry farms and all veterinary pharmacies in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia were surveyed for the antibiotics used or dispensed. Further, a comprehensive literature survey was performed. Results: Twenty-nine antimicrobial agents were identified as being available for poultry use, of which 22 (75.9%) were important for the treatment of human infections. Enrofloxacin, oxytetracycline, ampicillin, neomycin, sulphamethoxazole, colistin, doxycycline and erythromycin were the most frequently used drugs. Food-borne hypersensitivity reactions and the emergence of microbial resistance, as well as cross-resistance to the various groups of antibiotics in animals and its transfer to human pathogens, are well documented. Conclusion: The misuse of antibiotics in the local poultry industry poses a serious health risk to the public and may complicate the treatment of human infections. The veterinary use of antimicrobial agents, especially those with dual animal and human applications, should therefore be restricted. The establishment of a government department concerned with food and drug safety is also highly recommended. Ann Saudi Med 2002;22(1-2):4-7. Key Words: Antibiotics, bacterial resistance, poultry, public health. The use of antimicrobial agents in food-producing animals has recently become a very important public health issue. These agents are being increasingly used for the prevention and therapy of infectious disease in farm animals raised under intensive husbandry methods of production. 1 In addition, they are routinely added at subtherapeutic levels to animal feed for their growth-promoting properties. 2 These practices, however, carry many negative effects, including the stimulation of microbial resistance to antibiotics, with the p ossible transfer of resistant pathogens from animals to humans. 3,4 Furthermore, the presence of drug residues in animal products may pose a potential health risk to the public. 5 In previous studies, 6,7 lack of adherence by the local poultry producers to international guidelines for the use of antimicrobial agents recommended by organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), Food and From the Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Address reprint requests and correspondence to Dr. Al-Mustafa: Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, King Faisal University, P .O. Box 2114, Dammam 31451, Saudi Arabia. Accepted for publication14 October 2001. Received 30 May 2001. Agriculture Organization (FAO), Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) of the European Union, as well as Food and Drug Administration (FDA)of the US was observed. This study was, therefore, aimed at surveying the antimicrobial agents available for poultry use in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, and highlighting their possible impact on public health. Materials and Methods A survey of 23 randomly selected poultry farms in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia (16 in Al-Ahsa and 7 in Dammam) and all veterinary pharmacies in the area (9 in Al-Ahsa and 7 in Dammam) was conducted. Information about the antimicrobial drugs used in each farm was gathered from farm supervisors using a detailed questionnaire. In addition, veterinary pharmacists were asked to list the most commonly dispensed antimicrobial agents from their pharmacies in descending order of preference. Also, online searches for reports of food allergy due to antibiotic residues, as well as food-transmitted pathogenic organisms and their resistance to antimicrobial agents, were conducted.