Introduction

Abstract

The introductory part of the book starts with the known facts from the deep history, when people started to use some product of plant origin (e.g. extracts from the barks of Cinchona officinalis) to treat certain diseases. Later on, mainly secondary metabolic products of both bacteria and fungi of soil origin were recognised having an antimicrobial effect and after several decades from their discoveries, they started to be used therapeutically. New century, especially thanks to the advance in the genome sequencing, also brings publications providing evidence of the natural and cosmopolitan presence of resistance, which has been on the Earth prior to the use of antimicrobials by humans. Despite this knowledge, still should be kept in mind the imperative of the responsible use of any antimicrobials and substances with the potential to select or co-select resistance in any sector—human and veterinary medicine as well as plant protection. Differences in the use of antimicrobials in veterinary sector from history to current days are described. Also, food safety from not only “chemical” but also “biological” perspective is discussed, especially due to the fact that the book is targeted on livestock. Questions remaining to be answered are defined as the basement for further considerations.

Bacteria are more flexible and clever, than we, as human beings, are. Despite decades of scientific investigations, we sometimes can feel as beginners. We cannot win the battle over bacteria; we can only try to find a way of coexistence with them as well with the whole nature considering ourselves to be an integral part and respecting the rules of nature. But it is a long way in front of us to learn these rules.