Architecture, goals and challenges of the Swiss Information System for Antibiotics in Veterinary Medicine (IS ABV)
Guy-Alain Schnidrig1,2, Heinzpeter Schwermer3, Dagmar Heim3
1Veterinary Public Health Institute, Vetsuisse, University of Bern, Liebefeld, Bern, Switzerland.
Background And Objectives:
In-depth knowledge of antibiotic treatments in animals is essential to effectively combat antimicrobial resistance. Notably, veterinary antibiotic sales in Switzerland have dropped by >50% in the past decade. However, a further breakdown by species or detailed livestock classes such as dairy or fattening cattle has so far not been possible because products are often authorized for use in multiple species and sectors. In 2020, the Swiss national monitoring system for antibiotic use (IS ABV) was introduced, which has substantially improved the availability of detailed data on antibiotic use. The aim of this study is to provide a high-level overview of IS ABV, its technical implementation and the current state of the system, highlighting its strengths and current and past weaknesses.
Methods:
To achieve this, we extracted antibiotic use data from the IS ABV surveillance system and analysed prescription-level data from 2020 to 2023, applying seasonal adjustments using ARIMA time series modelling.
Results:
We identified a significant decreasing trend in the number of prescriptions for companion and farm animals. In addition, the approximated reporting errors have decreased over time, indicating improved accuracy in documenting antibiotic use by veterinarians.
Conclusions:
These advances highlight the system's effectiveness in improving data accuracy and in monitoring antibiotic management improvements in Swiss veterinary practices. By providing more reliable, timely data, IS ABV enables better monitoring of prescribing patterns and supports evidence-based decision-making. This enables the authorities to design targeted interventions and policies aimed at reducing unnecessary antibiotic use, thereby contributing to the fight against antimicrobial resistance.
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