Antimicrobial drugs in veterinary medicine

Antimicrobial drugs are compounds that kill pathogenic microorganisms in the animal body without producing adverse effects for the host. They are natural products of various species of fungi and bacteria that in low concentrations cause death (bactericidal effect) or inhibit growth (bacteriostatic effect) of microorganisms. They also include synthetic compounds that are structurally similar to the natural products and have similar mechanism of action. Numerous chemically different antimicrobial drugs are used in human and veterinary clinical practice today. At the same time, many new, more effective and safer antimicrobials with a wider spectrum of activity are being developed. The best known newer antimicrobial drugs are: members of IV generation of cephalosporins (e.g. cefepime and cefpirome), the glycopeptide antibiotic teicoplanin, the carbapenem meropenem, the macrolide antibiotic clarytromycin, fluoroquinolones of III generations, streptogramines oxa-zoiidinones, and glycilcyclines. In parallel with the effort to produce more effective and safer antimicrobial drugs, there is a tendency to reduce their excessive (non-rational) use. The main reasons for that are: to reduce the risk of bacterial resistance development and to reduce the amount of antimicrobial drugs in animal products assigned to human nutrition. Due to pronounced toxicity for both animals and humans the use of some antimicrobial drugs (e.g. chloramphenicol, nitroimidazoles, nitorfurans etc) in veterinary medicine is prohibited. In the last years, as alternatives for antimicrobial use, especially in mild and/or chronic infective diseases, the use of medicinal plants with antimicrobial and immunostimulant action is recommended. The concept of phytopharmaceutics use in veterinary medicine is in accordance with common trends of producing healthy and natural food.