Persistence of tetracycline resistance in pig E. coli (original) (raw)

Nature volume 258, pages 628–630 (1975)Cite this article

Abstract

THE practice of feeding tetracyclines to pigs to promote growth was prohibited in Britain in March 1971, after a period of some 17 yr during which this practice had been common. It was prohibited because it had encouraged the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria in pigs. A comparison of the results of examining pigs brought to Chelmsford Market in 1956, 1970 and July 1972 indicated that during 16 months prohibition the incidence of pigs harbouring tetracycline-resistant Escherichia coli in their faeces had not decreased but that the amount of these organisms in the pig population might have done so1. To obtain additional information, similar surveys were done in July 1973, July 1974 and July 1975; the result of all six surveys are collated in this paper.

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References

  1. Smith, H. Williams, Nature, 243, 237 (1973).
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  4. Swann Report, Report of the Joint Committee on the use of Antibiotics in Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine (HMSO, London, 1969).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Houghton Poultry Research Station, Houghton, Huntingdon, PE17 2DA, UK
    H. W. SMITH

Authors

  1. H. W. SMITH
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SMITH, H. Persistence of tetracycline resistance in pig E. coli.Nature 258, 628–630 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1038/258628a0

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