Antimicrobial susceptibility testing by Australian veterinary diagnostic laboratories

Area of Science:

• Veterinary microbiology
• Antimicrobial resistance surveillance
• Diagnostic laboratory science

Background:

• National strategies emphasize antimicrobial stewardship and susceptibility surveillance in veterinary medicine.
• Veterinary diagnostic laboratories are crucial for these efforts, but data consistency is uncertain.
• Current practices may not uniformly promote appropriate antimicrobial use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) and reporting procedures in Australian veterinary diagnostic laboratories.
• To identify variations in AST methods and antimicrobial panels used.
• To evaluate the potential for data compilation and consistent antimicrobial stewardship promotion.

Main Methods:

• A 2017 cross-sectional study surveyed all 18 Australian veterinary diagnostic laboratories.
• An online questionnaire collected data on AST procedures and reporting.
• Data on methods, protocols, and antimicrobial panels were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion was the predominant AST method (86% of isolates), but with two different protocols.
• Minimum inhibitory concentrations were not reported by 61% of labs.
• Significant diversity existed in antimicrobial panels used, with no consistency across laboratories for any species.

Conclusions:

• Nationally agreed, consistent antimicrobial panels for routine AST are recommended.
• Adoption of uniform guidelines by veterinary diagnostic laboratories in Australia is advised.
• Standardization is needed to improve data comparability and antimicrobial stewardship.