Quantifying Antimicrobial Use in Dutch Companion Animals.

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Pharmacology
• Public Health

Background:

• Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant threat in both human and veterinary medicine.
• Optimizing antimicrobial use (AMU) is crucial to mitigate the selection and spread of AMR.
• Quantifying AMU in companion animals is essential for effective optimization strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a feasible method for quantifying AMU in companion animals using Defined Daily Doses Animal (DDDA).
• To explore the classes of antimicrobials used and identify temporal and inter-clinic prescribing pattern differences.
• To assess the potential for optimizing AMU in Dutch companion animal practice.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective collection of antimicrobial procurement data from 100 Dutch veterinary clinics (2012-2014).
• Quantification of AMU using the number of Defined Daily Doses Animal (DDDA).
• Analysis of antimicrobial classes and prescribing patterns over time and between clinics.

Main Results:

• A significant decrease in the mean number of DDDAs per clinic per year was observed from 2012 to 2014.
• A notable shift in antimicrobial classes was observed, with decreased use of third-choice antimicrobials like fluoroquinolones.
• Substantial inter-clinic variations in total AMU persisted, ranging from 64-fold in 2012 to 20-fold in 2014.

Conclusions:

• Antimicrobial use in Dutch companion animal clinics is relatively low and decreasing.
• Significant differences in prescribing practices among clinics indicate potential for improvement in antimicrobial stewardship.
• Further quantitative and qualitative optimization of AMU is warranted in companion animal veterinary medicine.