Avoparcin Explained

Avoparcin is a glycopeptide antibiotic effective against Gram-positive bacteria. It has been used in agriculture as an additive to livestock feed to promote growth in chickens, pigs, and cattle.^[1] It is also used as an aid in the prevention of necrotic enteritis in poultry.^[1]

Avoparcin is a mixture of two closely related chemical compounds, known as α-avoparcin and β-avoparcin, which differ by the presence of an additional chlorine atom in β-avoparcin. Avoparcin also shares a chemical similarity with vancomycin. Because of this similarity, concern exists that widespread use of avoparcin in animals may lead to an increased prevalence of vancomycin-resistant strains of bacteria.^{[2] [3] [4] [5]}

Avoparcin was once widely used in Australia and the European Union, but it is currently not permitted in either.^{[1] [6]} It was never approved for use in the United States.^[7]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Avoparcin . Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicine Authority . 2012-09-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140310180955/http://apvma.gov.au/products/review/completed/avoparcin.php . 2014-03-10 . dead .
2. 10.1046/j.1469-0691.2000.00128.x . Avoparcin and virginiamycin as animal growth promoters: A plea for science in decision-making . 2000 . Acar . J. . Casewell . M. . Freeman . J. . Friis . C. . Goossens . H. . Clinical Microbiology and Infection . 6 . 9 . 477–82 . 11168181. free .
3. 10.1016/S0167-5877(96)01119-1 . Avoparcin used as a growth promoter is associated with the occurrence of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium on Danish poultry and pig farms . 1997 . Bager . F . Madsen . M . Christensen . J . Aarestrup . F.M . Preventive Veterinary Medicine . 31 . 95–112 . 9234429 . 1–2. 4958557 .
4. Vancomycin-resistant enterococci and use of avoparcin in animal feed: is there a link? . Peter J Collignon . Med J Aust . 1999 . 171 . 3 . 144–146 . 10474607. Peter Collignon . 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1999.tb123568.x . 24378463 .
5. 17298380 . 2007 . Lauderdale . TL . Shiau . YR . Wang . HY . Lai . JF . Huang . IW . Chen . PC . Chen . HY . Lai . SS . Liu . YF . Effect of banning vancomycin analogue avoparcin on vancomycin-resistant enterococci in chicken farms in Taiwan . 9 . 3 . 819–23 . 10.1111/j.1462-2920.2006.01189.x . Environmental Microbiology . 2007EnvMi...9..819L .
6. http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:31997L0006:EN:HTML Commission Directive 97/6/EC of 30 January 1997 amending Council Directive 70/524/EEC concerning additives in feedingstuffs
7. Web site: Is the way we raise our food giving us MRSA? . Salon.com . Alex Koppelman . Nov 7, 2007.