Table 2. Major classes of antibiotics approved for use on plants, animals, and humans1
|
|
|
Agriculture (Cattle, swine, dairy, poultry, and aquaculture)2 |
|
|
Antibiotic class |
Plants |
Disease treatment |
Disease prevention |
Growth promotion |
Humans |
|
Aminoglycosides
(gentamicin, neomycin, and streptomycin) |
Streptomycin only
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beta-lactams |
|
|
|
|
|
|
-Penicillins |
|
|
|
|
|
|
-Cephalosporins, first and second generation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
-Cephalosporins, third generation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chloramphenicol |
|
3 |
|
|
|
|
Cycloserines |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ionophores |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Glycopeptides |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lincosamides |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Macrolides |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Monobactams |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Polypeptides |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Quinolones |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stretogramins |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sulfonamides |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tetracyclines |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other antibiotics: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
-bambermycin |
|
|
|
|
|
|
-carbadox |
|
|
|
|
|
|
-novobiocin |
|
|
|
|
|
|
-spectinomycin |
|
|
|
|
|
1Information obtained from United States General Accounting Office document GAO/RCED-99-74, April 1999, entitled "Food Safety: The agricultural use of antibiotics and its implications for human health." (Report RCED-99-74).
2 In this table, we combined uses of antibiotics on animals and did not distinguish between animal species. The table in the report provides additional information on specific antibiotics used on certain species. For example, only sulfonamides and tetracyclines are registered for use on fish; lincosamides and polypeptides are registered for poultry and swine, but not cattle. The use of antibiotics on animals for disease prevention and treatment is contrasted with use of antibiotics for growth promotion in the GAO report.
3Chloramphenicol use in agriculture is limited to florfenicol for cattle.
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