[Guidelines for planning studies to determine the resistance of infectious agents of veterinary relevance]

This paper describes the most important criteria for the planning of statistically sound and representative studies on the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance among pathogenic bacteria from animals. The statistical design of the study is of particular importance and therefore described in some detail. The existing published data about antimicrobial resistance are mostly retrospective summaries of results and do not give a true picture of the resistance situation. The authors propose to conduct a pilot study initially because many basic elements for a sound study design are still not known. The systematic recording and assessment of the target variables including the necessary quality assurance are an important prerequisite. Moreover, potential cause variables can be further narrowed down and conclusively identified. To ensure the representativity of the cross-sectional study and avoid potential bias, it is important to achieve the highest possible response rate. This will form the basis of a scientifically sound resistance monitoring programme which should be the joint responsibility of regulatory authorities, industry and academia.