Carbadox is a

veterinary drug An animal drug (also veterinary drug) refers to a pharmaceutical drug, drug intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in animals. Regulation United States The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ...

that combats infection in swine, particularly swine

dysentery Dysentery (UK pronunciation: , US: ), historically known as the bloody flux, is a type of gastroenteritis that results in bloody diarrhea. Other symptoms may include fever, abdominal pain, and a feeling of incomplete defecation. Complication ...

Indications

Carbadox is indicated for control of swine dysentery (vibrionic dysentery, bloody scours, or hemorrhagic dysentery); control of bacterial swine

enteritis Enteritis is inflammation of the small intestine. It is most commonly caused by food or drink contaminated with pathogenic microbes,Dugdale, David C., IIII, and George F Longretc"Enteritis" MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, 18 October 2008. Acces ...

(

salmonellosis Salmonellosis, more commonly known as food poisoning is a symptomatic infection caused by bacteria of the ''Salmonella'' type. It is also a food-borne disease and are defined as diseases, usually either infectious or toxic in nature, caused by a ...

or necrotic enteritis caused by ''

Salmonella enterica ''Salmonella enterica'' (formerly ''Salmonella choleraesuis'') is a rod-headed, flagellate, facultative anaerobic, Gram-negative bacterium and a species of the genus '' Salmonella''. A number of its serovars are serious human pathogens. Epidem ...

''); aid in the prevention of migration and establishment of large roundworm (''

Ascaris suum ''Ascaris suum'', also known as the large roundworm of pig, is a parasitic nematode that causes ascariasis in pigs. While roundworms in pigs and humans are today considered as two species (''A. suum'' and '' A. lumbricoides'') with different ho ...

'') infections; aid in the prevention of establishment of nodular worm (''

Oesophagostomum ''Oesophagostomum'' is a genus of parasitic nematodes (roundworms) of the family Strongylidae. These worms occur in Africa, Brazil, China, Indonesia and the Philippines. The majority of human infection with ''Oesophagostomum'' is localized to nor ...

'') infections.

Safety

animal model An animal model (short for animal disease model) is a living, non-human, often genetic-engineered animal used during the research and investigation of human disease, for the purpose of better understanding the disease process without the risk of ha ...

s, carbadox has been shown to be carcinogenic and to induce birth defects. The

Food and Drug Administration The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food ...

's Center for Veterinary Medicine has questioned the safety in light of its possible carcinogenicity.

Regulation

Carbadox is approved in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...

only for use in swine and may not be used within 42 days of slaughter or used in pregnant animals. In 2016, the United States

moved to ban its use in pork, citing a potential cancer risk to humans. However, as of August 2018, FDA had indefinitely stayed its withdrawal of approval and carbadox remains available. In 2004, carbadox was banned by the

Canadian government The government of Canada (french: gouvernement du Canada) is the body responsible for the federation, federal administration of Canada. A constitutional monarchy, the Crown is the Corporation sole#The Crown, corporation sole, assuming distinct ro ...

as a

livestock Livestock are the domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to provide labor and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The term is sometimes used to refer solely to anima ...

feed additive and for human consumption. The European Union also forbids the use of carbadox at any level. Australia forbids the use of carbadox in food producing animals.

References

{{reflist Antimicrobials Antiparasitic agents IARC Group 1 carcinogens Quinoxalines Amine oxides Hydrazones Veterinary drugs