Amphenicols: Dilemma of Use and Abuse in Poultry

Abstract

In the past decade, an exemplary transference had taken place in poultry production system across the world that ranges from marginal animal husbandry practices used by small poultry farmers to intensive poultry production system, including routine antimicrobial usage both for therapeutic purposes and enhancing productivity in the poultry and meat industry. This shift has not only resulted in increased antimicrobials that are available for use in poultry but has also increased the chances of antimicrobial resistance in lower resources focused on intensive production system. It is well established that bacterial resistance diminishes the antimicrobials that are available for poultry and meat production, and this may have a serious impact on human medicine as it will reduce the choices and efficacy of antibiotics that are going to be used for clinical settings. Antibiotic resistance has far-reaching consequences in the form of high disease incidences consequently putting economic burden on the meat industry, people, and nations. The poultry industry across the world contributes to the chunk of antimicrobials used in the animal husbandry sector. Imprudent use of antimicrobials, especially amphenicols, in viable small-scale poultry has serious repercussions on poultry and human health besides exacerbating poverty and food insecurity. Although amphenicols are known to be effective antimicrobials, but these are also known to cause bone marrow suppression and have also been reportedly causing liver damage, resulting in abnormal liver functions and jaundice and should be used with great caution in birds, as they may have serious repercussions on human health also. In humans, amphenicols can cause dangerous anemia and can have neurological manifestations resulting in mental disorders, sometimes resulting in allergic reactions and gastrointestinal symptoms, along with nausea, poor appetite, and vomiting.