As the use of antibiotics in the production of food animals increases, the concern for its effects on humans grows, said Mike Apley, doctor of veterinary medicine and assistant professor of beef production medicine at Iowa State.

Apley was the first speaker in this week’s noon veterinary seminars, which are being held through Thursday in the Memorial Union. Apley’s presentation was held Tuesday.

“It is becoming a real national initiative to examine the effects of using antibiotics in both humans and food animals,” he said.

James Roth, distinguished professor of veterinary microbiology and preventative medicine, spoke about alternatives to antibiotics in animal health and production.

“There is a lot of current interest in the DNA vaccine,” Roth said. “It shows real potential advantages as an alternative to antibiotic use.”

Roth said the DNA vaccine places a gene in a plasmid of the cell, and enough of the genes will replicate and produce immunity.

This option is appealing because it is inexpensive and safe, he said.

Nolan Hartwig, chairman of the Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, said the speakers had “good summaries of what is new in the trends and presented a realistic look at the problems and opportunities.”

The series is intended to support ISU’s “Celebration of Advancing Technologies.”

The goal of these seminars “will not be a cookbook or an attempt to dictate clinical practices,” Roth said. “The goal will be to provide the most current information to the practitioner.”

Both Apley and Roth hope to have the information from the seminars available for general veterinarian use on a Web-based and CD-ROM system planned for release sometime in the year 2002.

Today’s seminar will be held in Room 236 of the MU, with Harley Moon presenting on E. coli and food-borne pathogens.

The final seminar in the series will be held in the Gold Room on Thursday. Chris Minion will be discussing microbial genomics and new vaccinations that are being produced.