Resistance monitoring in Denmark, 1997--DANMAP.

In the human isolates, resistance levels were generally low in comparison with those from other countries. There is nevertheless a need in several areas for an increased drive to curtail the rise in the number of penicillin-resistant pneumococci and quinolone-resistant E. coli. In the veterinary sector of medicine, guidelines have now been drawn up for the treatment of animals with antibiotics, as has been the case for many years in human medical care. In addition work is in progress to facilitate a better registration of antibiotic consumption in the treatment of animals. DANMAP has been able to demonstrate that the banning in May 1995 of the use of avoparcin as a growth promotor has resulted in a fall in resistance rates to this agent. Resistance in E. faecium from chickens fell from 52% in the first half of 1996 to 12% in the second half of 1997. A less significant fall has been seen in E. faecium from pigs, which may be connected to the fact that the pig stock is maintained by continuous breeding, whereas chickens for slaughter are bred by a batchwise "all in-all out" process. On the basis of data including those from DANMAP, the use of a further 4 growth promoters has been prohibited.