What do we know about resistance to colistin in Enterobacteriaceae in avian and pig production in Europe?

Colistin is a cyclic decapeptide bound to a fatty acid chain. It is active against many Gram-negative bacteria by destabilising the bacterial outer membrane. Bacteria can become resistant to colistin by modification of their lipopolysaccharide, thereby reducing the affinity of polymyxins. Colistin is often administered orally in poultry and pig production to control colibacillosis. Resistant isolates are sometimes recovered from pathological cases, particularly in piglets. However, in Europe the percentage of resistance to colistin in Escherichia coli strains isolated from the digestive tract microbiota of healthy animals remains <1%. (c) 2013 Elsevier B.V. and the International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.