2nd International Symposium, Alternatives to Antibiotics, Challenges and Solutions in Animal Production

In view of the continuing global concerns with antibiotic resistance, there is a pressing need to have a scientific forum to assess the scientific advancements made since the 1st International Symposium on Alternatives to Antibiotics held in 2012. The objectives of this 2nd International Symposium are to highlight promising research results and novel technologies that provide alternatives to antibiotics for use in animal health and production, assess challenges associated with their commercialization and use, and provide actionable strategies to support their development. The symposium will focus on five product categories that could reduce the use of medically important antibiotics in animal health and production: 1) vaccines; 2) microbial-derived products; 3) phytochemicals; 4) immune-derived products; and 5) chemicals.

The symposium will focus on the latest scientific breakthroughs and technologies that provide new options and alternative strategies for preventing and treating diseases of animals and reduce the use of medically important antibiotics in agriculture. Although some of these new technologies provide the means for implementing a One Health approach and have direct applications as medical interventions for human health, the focus of the symposium is on animal health and production and food safety. The following six areas will be explored in detail through scientific presentations and expert panel discussions:

1. Vaccines that could reduce the use of medically important antibiotics.
2. Microbial-derived products, such as probiotics and bacteriophage gene products.
3. Non-nutritive phytochemicals, including prebiotics.
4. Immune-related products, such as antibodies, microbial peptides and cytokines.
5. Chemicals, including enzymes.
6. Regulatory pathways to enable the licensure of alternatives to antibiotics.