On March 25, 1996, CVM issued a letter to bovine, swine, and poultry veterinary practitioners, advising them of their responsibility as part of the public health community regarding the use of fluoroquinolones. The FDA recently approved sarafloxacin (Saraflox 7 WSP and Injection) for use in broiler chickens and growing turkeys for the control of morbidity associated with Escherichia coli organisms. This is the first fluoroquinolone approved for use in food-producing animals. Enrofloxacin (Baytril 7) is approved for use in dogs and cats.

Experts acknowledge that the use of fluoroquinolones in animals may facilitate the emergence of bacterial resistance. When this occurs in enteric pathogens, the potential for transfer to humans exists, especially through food. Cross-resistance occurs throughout this entire class of drugs; therefore, resistance to one fluoroquinolone would compromise the effectiveness of all fluoroquinolone drugs. Evidence from some European researchers indicates that quinolone-resistant bacteria, particularly Campylobacter jejuni and some strains of Salmonella, are emerging in treated animal populations. The use of fluoroquinolones in food-producing animals is of particular concern to the human medical community because these drugs are used to treat a variety of infectious conditions. Practitioners are asked to do their part in preventing possible resistance by avoiding unnecessary or inappropriate treatment of animals with these drugs. Their cooperation is vital to ensure the continued availability of these products.