SAFETY OF TETRACYCLINES FOR PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Authors: Kosenko Yu. M. , Ostapiv N. V. , Zaruma L. E. 
Published: May 2024

Antimicrobial veterinary medicinal products of the tetracycline class have been most widely used for many years in the veterinary practice, both in Ukraine and in European countries, the USA, Canada, etc. Teteracyclynes have a wide-spectrum activity against gram-positive and gram-negative microorganisms, rickettsia, mycoplasma, chlamydia and protozoan parasites and are successfully used for the treatment of infectious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory organs, skin and urogenital infections. Antimicrobial veterinary medicinal products of this class belong to AMEG category D, which is the safest in terms of impact on public health. Tetracyclines are low cost agents, are not high toxic when used in animals, which justifies their frequent choice for empirical treatment. During the monitoring of sales volumes for 2016-2021, antimicrobial veterinary medicinal products of the tetracycline class occupied the largest share among all antimicrobials entering the market in Ukraine (25.9-39.4)%. Most frequently, these veterinary medicinal products are intended for oral administration, but since their low bioavailability (5-15)%, they are excreted from the body almost unchanged. However, there is a danger of the development of tetracyclines resistance and a hazard to the environment and public health, which is explained by the frequent use of this class substances, the permission of large amounts into the soil with manure and water following drinkers washing after the treatment. Tetracyclines are poorly metabolized, and their long-term use in veterinary practice contributes to the bioaccumulation of significant amounts in soil and water.
The main goal of this study were the analysis of veterinary medicinal products containing tetracyclines which were authorized in Ukraine by the category of active substances and route of administration. Another problem of this article was to substantiate the impact of tetracycline class antibiotics on the environment and the acquired antimicrobial resistance in the view of the necessity of their reasonable and safety use for the animals treatment, taking into account the requirements of the current legislation in Ukraine and EU member states. The results of the study proved that antimicrobial veterinary medicinal products containing chlortetracycline, mainly for oral administration, prevail in Ukraine. The bias of this monitoring is the lack information on the volumes of their use in farms and for individual animal species. Although the tetracycline class antibiotics do not belong to persistent bio accumulative toxic substances (PBT), their long-term and widespread use causes concern in view of the possible acquiring antimicrobial resistance and harmful effects on the environment, which will have an impact on public health. It is necessary to introduce regulatory measures to limitation and optimal use of these compounds in veterinary medicine. It is also necessary to deliver information among stakeholders about the possible negative impact on the environment and plan activities to prevent the development of acquired antimicrobial resistance to the tetracycline class antibiotics.