Limited vaccines ‘could reverse AMR progress’, group boss fears

Limited vaccine availability could start to reverse the progress made in reducing UK antimicrobial resistance (AMR) levels, an industry group leader fears.

RUMA Agriculture chairperson Cat McLaughlin called for the maintenance of supplies to be treated on a par with food and fuel security after the fourth annual report of its Targets Task Force was released.

The document, together with new sales surveillance data, indicated current resistance levels are the lowest for a decade, despite little change in annual sales for food-producing species.

At risk

But concerns are growing that a lack of vaccine availability, in both the agricultural and companion animal spheres, could put those gains at risk. Dr McLaughlin warned the problem was already starting to impact the response to some diseases and could directly lead to increased usage.

She said: “This would be a significant backward step for both AMR and animal welfare and is something that we’re all desperate to avoid. We believe there is a need for political recognition of this risk and more collaboration to highlight the importance and availability of veterinary vaccines.”

Alongside the RUMA paper, UK Veterinary Antimicrobial Resistance and Sales Surveillance (VARSS) analysis did report annual increases in usage for gamebirds, pigs and salmon.

But overall sales for food producing animals remain 59% lower now than when monitoring first began in 2014.

‘Ongoing commitment’

VMD chief executive Abigail Seager said that finding, together with the low resistance levels, was “testament to the UK’s farmers’ and vets’ ongoing commitment to improved and responsible antibiotic use”.

But, in her introduction to the task force report, Dr McLaughlin said increased usage for individual species groups was linked to a combination of disease outbreaks, reduced vaccine availability or, in some cases, all three.

She warned that the situation remained “fragile” in areas such as sheep vaccines, where the need for a response to the current bluetongue outbreak is adding to the pressure, and revealed the group had raised its concerns with senior government officials.

Vaccine strategy

She added: “A clear vaccine strategy and more collaboration is what is required, which would recognise vaccine security as a government risk in the same way that we talk about food and fuel security.

“We need this to be acknowledged properly and any strategy would have to involve not just the food, farming and veterinary government departments and agents, but also the business and trade policy teams.

“This needs to be about encouraging investment in the veterinary pharmaceutical industry as much as it’s about facilitating the vaccine supply chain.”

Publication of the two reports coincided with both World Antibiotic Resistance Awareness Week and the Antibiotic Amnesty campaign, which encourages pet owners to return unused products to their practices.

Top concern

Figures issued by the BVA ahead of the reports’ release revealed inability to treat infections as a result of AMR was vets’ top concern, cited in 87% of cases, while 77% of participants said they had experienced prescribing pressure from clients expecting they would be given antibiotics.

BVA president Elizabeth Mullineaux welcomed the RUMA and VARSS findings but warned that “we must maintain progress to ensure these medicines remain viable for responsible use in the future”.

A new cycle of RUMA targets is expected to be launched next autumn and Dr McLaughlin cautioned against complacency on the issue.

But she admitted there would also be a point at which “a plateau in reduction levels is to be expected” because of the progress that has been made in recent years.