The efficacy of apramycin use in animals: a scoping review.

Apramycin shows promise for enteric disease in livestock, but evidence quality is outdated and insufficient.

This scoping review examined 30 studies (44 trials) investigating apramycin efficacy in animals, primarily conducted before 1990. Most research involved pigs, cattle, and poultry, focusing on enteric disease prevention and treatment caused by E. coli. After excluding growth promotion studies (n=6), parenteral administration trials (n=9), and experimental infection studies (n=1), 18 studies with 28 trials remained evaluating clinical outcomes with currently available formulations. Approximately 39% of trials (17/44) reported statistically significant beneficial effects of apramycin compared to control groups, while 4.5% showed no significant effect. Remaining trials lacked proper statistical analysis or comparison groups. The review concludes apramycin demonstrates effectiveness for treating and preventing enteric disease in calves, piglets, poultry, and rabbits, particularly against E. coli infections. However, significant limitations exist: poor study design descriptions, inadequate statistical reporting, outdated research, and lack of data from modern production systems. The authors emphasize that more rigorous, contemporary studies are essential before considering apramycin repurposing for human use with multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections.

This summary was distilled by AI and may occasionally misinterpret data. Confirm critical details with the primary literature before clinical application.