Upon the request of the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV), in the past two years InnoTact has coordinated a research project focused on working out the quantitative relationship between antibiotic use and the development of antibiotic resistance.

Research

Scientists participating in this research project have studied the development of resistance in three different 'drug-bug' combinations in lab experiments and in research focused on practical cases. The findings are used to develop mathematical models that describe the quantitative relationships and that can be used for predictions.

The research project was headed by Dr Michael van der Horst and carried out in the University of Amsterdam (Professor Stanley Brul and Dr Benno ter Kuile) and the University of Utrecht (Professor Odo Diekmann). It was carried out in cooperation with the Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (Dutch: VWA), among others.

Results

The results show that in certain cases the development of resistance can be reversed. This could have an impact on antibiotic policies in the Dutch veterinary sector.

Workshop

The workshop was for invited participants and was mainly intended for discussing the possible impacts of the findings in the presence of experts in the field.

The workshop was led by Professor Ludo Hellebrekers, chairperson of the Royal Netherlands Veterinary Association.