Temporal relationship between decrease in antimicrobial prescription for Danish pigs and the "Yellow Card" legal...

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Animal Health
• Public Health

Background:

• Antimicrobial resistance is a growing global concern.
• Prudent antimicrobial use in livestock is crucial for animal and human health.
• Denmark implemented the "Yellow Card" intervention in December 2010 to regulate antimicrobial prescriptions in pig production.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of the "Yellow Card" intervention on antimicrobial prescription patterns in Danish pig production.
• To analyze temporal trends in antimicrobial use from 2002 to 2012.
• To identify specific antimicrobial classes and disease groups affected by the intervention.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the national veterinary prescribed medicines database (VetStat) for antimicrobial prescriptions in pigs (2002-2012).
• Performed descriptive analysis of antimicrobial use trends by administration route, age group, and disease group.
• Examined prescription patterns of tetracyclines, macrolides, and pleuromutilins at herd level for weaners and finishers.

Main Results:

• A 25% decline in total antimicrobial use per pig produced was observed between 2009 and 2011.
• Significant reductions occurred across all age groups: sows and piglets (31%), weaners (34%), and finishers (19%).
• Reduced oral use of tetracyclines, macrolides, and pleuromutilins, mainly for gastrointestinal disease, accounted for 76% of the total reduction. A 10% increase in use was noted in 2012.

Conclusions:

• The "Yellow Card" intervention was temporally associated with a substantial decrease in antimicrobial use in Danish pig production.
• Changes in prescription patterns, particularly for oral antibiotics targeting gastrointestinal issues, were key drivers of the reduction.
• The findings highlight the effectiveness of regulatory interventions in promoting antimicrobial stewardship in livestock.