European Medicines Agency makes recommendations on the use ofantimicrobials in livestock and companion animals in relation to the risk ofMRSA infection in animals

27 March 2009

The European Medicines Agency has adopted a reflection paper setting out a number of recommendations relating to the authorisation and the use of antimicrobial medicines in livestock and companion animals which aim to reduce the risk of colonization or infection of animals with meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in the interest of both public and animal health. The recommendations form part of the Agency's overall strategy on antimicrobials as veterinary medicines.

Following concerns over the increased occurrence of MRSA in livestock and companion animals, the Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use (CVMP) asked its Scientific Advisory Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (SAGAM) to carry out an in-depth review on the impact of the use of antimicrobials in livestock and companion animals on the risk of MRSA infection (clinical signs of illness or inflammation) and colonisation (presence of bacteria, but no signs of illness or infection) in animals.

The review was carried out in parallel with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) on other aspects of MRSA, to which the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) contributed. A summary paper, bringing together the findings on the topic of MRSA by the three EU agencies, is under preparation and will be published later.

Based on the SAGAM review, the CVMP concluded that MRSA is resistant to virtually all betalactam agents and is very often also co-resistant to other antimicrobials. All the major lineages of MRSA can infect both animals and man. The Committee made the following recommendations:

• Prudent use of antimicrobials as set out by the Codex Alimentarius, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe, and as discussed in the CVMP strategy on antimicrobials 2006-2010, remains a key measure.
• Consumption of antimicrobials in animals in the EU should be monitored to identify any sources of unnecessary use and to target specific counter actions, as required.
• Development of non-antimicrobial control measures, such as sanitary measures, for infected or colonised animals should be encouraged.
• Use of last-resort medicines for MRSA treatment in man should be avoided in animals.
• When evaluating a marketing authorisation application for a veterinary medicine containing molecules used as last-resort treatment for MRSA infections in man, the CVMP will pay special attention in its assessment of the benefits and risk to the need to ensure the continued efficacy of such molecules in human medicine.

The Agency will disseminate its recommendations to key stakeholders, including Member State competent authorities, pharmaceutical industry, veterinarians and other interested, as a first step towards fostering implementation of the proposed measures.

European Medicines Agency makes recommendations on the use of antimicrobials in livestock and companion animals in relation to the risk of MRSA infection in animals

Reference Number: EMEA/CVMP/176994/2009