Antibiotic usage in 14 equine practices over a 10-year period (2012-2021).
Abstract: Monitoring antibiotic usage is an important part of tackling antimicrobial resistance. The use of computerised records for monitoring has been previously described in the equine sector but there is currently no consensus on metrics used to report usage. Objective: To document antibiotic use in equine practices in the United Kingdom over a 10-year period using commercially available practice management software. Methods: Retrospective survey. Methods: A custom antibiotic usage report was created using Eclipse® practice management software. Participating practices were given instructions on how to generate the usage report. Annual reports were requested for a 10-year period (2012-2021 inclusive). Each report provided sales of each class of antibiotic in total mg and in mg/kg, based on the number of equids treated (for any transaction) and their average weight. The defined daily dose for animals (DDDvet) and the DDD/1000 (used in people) were also calculated to correct for variation in dosage rates between antibiotics. Results: Fourteen practices submitted data for an annual maximum of 107 977 horses. Overall, median annual antibiotic usage was 54.25 mg/kg (range 45.34-60.27 mg/kg), 1.52 defined daily doses/animal/year (range 1.39-1.70) and 4.17 defined daily dose/1000 animals (range 3.82-4.66). Overall median highest priority critically important antimicrobial usage was 0.67 mg/kg (range 0.56-1.71), 0.12 defined daily doses/animal/year (range 0.10-0.14) and 0.33 defined daily dose/1000 animals (range 0.29-0.39). Conclusions: The software relied on the accurate identification of antibiotic preparations. The calculation of DDDvet was complicated by the varying dose rates of antimicrobials used in equine practice. Conclusions: A reliable technique to measure antibiotic usage is presented. Defined daily dosage calculations may be more helpful in equine practice due to the preponderance of potentiated sulphonamides usage. These data and methods may provide the basis for future clinical audits aiming to enhance antimicrobial stewardship. Unassigned: Monitoring der Verwendung von Antibiotika ist ein wichtiger Bestandteil im Kampf gegen die Antibiotikaresistenz. Die Verwendung von computerisierten Patientendaten für das Monitoring im Pferdesektor wurde zuvor beschrieben, allerdings gibt es derzeit keinen Konsensus in Bezug auf verwendete Metriken um den Gebrauch zu berichten. Unassigned: Die Dokumentation der Anwendung von Antibiotika in Pferdepraxen in Großbritannien über einen Zeitraum von zehn Jahren mit der Verwendung von kommerziell verfügbarer Software für Praxismanagement. Methods: Retrospektive umfrage. Methods: Ein selbstentworfener Bericht über Antibiotikaverwendung wurde mithilfe der Eclipse® Praxismanagement Software erstellt. Teilnehmende Praxen erhielten Instruktionen bezüglich der Erstellung der Verwendungsberichte. Berichte wurden jährlich über einen Zeitraum von zehn Jahren angefordert (2012 bis einschließlich 2021). Jeder Bericht stellte Informationen bezüglich des Verkaufes der jeweiligen Antibiotikaklasse in gesamten mg und in mg/kg, basierend auf der Anzahl behandelter Pferde (pro Transaktion) und das Durchschnittsgewicht. Die definierte tägliche Dosis für Tiere (DDDvet) und die DDD/1000 (verwendet bei Menschen) wurde ebenfalls berechnet, um die Variation in Dosierungsraten zwischen Antibiotika zu korrigieren. Unassigned: Vierzehn Praxen reichten Daten für ein jährliches Maximum von 107 977 Pferden ein. Der mediane jährliche Gebrauch von Antibiotika war insgesamt 54.25 mg/kg (45.34-60.27 mg/kg), 1.52 definierte tägliche Dosen/Tier/Jahr (1.39-1.70) und 4.17 definierte tägliche Dosen/1000 Tiere (3.82-4.66). Die insgesamt mediane Highest Priority Critically Important Antimicrobial (HPCIA) Verwendung war 0.67 mg/kg (0.56-1.71), 0.12 definierte tägliche Dosen/Tier/Jahr (0.10-0.14) und 0.33 definierte tägliche Dosen/1000 Tiere (0.29-0.39). HAUPTEINSCHRÄNKUNGEN: Die Software stützte sich auf die akkurate Identifikation der antibiotischen Präparate. Die Berechnung der DDDvet wurde durch die variierenden Dosierungsraten der Antibiotika, welche in der Pferdepraxis gebraucht werden, kompliziert. Unassigned: Präsentiert is eine verlässliche Methode der Erfassung von Einsatz von Antibiotika. Definierte tägliche Dosierungskalkulationen könnten in der Pferdepraxis hilfreicher sein, bedingt durch die überwiegende Verwendung von potenzierten Sulphonamiden.
© 2023 EVJ Ltd.
Publication Date: 2023-08-16 PubMed ID: 37587746DOI: 10.1111/evj.13988Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
This research tracks the use of antibiotics in 14 equine practices in the UK from 2012 to 2021, using a custom report created with the Eclipse® practice management software, and reveals overall median dosage rates. The paper presents a reliable technique to measure antibiotic use and proposes that defined daily dosage calculations may be more useful due to the prevalence of potentiated sulphonamides in equine practice.
Study Objectives and Methods
- The objective of the study was to document and monitor the antibiotic usage in equine practices in the UK over a period of 10 years using a practice management software.
- A retrospective survey was conducted using a custom antibiotic usage report created with Eclipse® practice management software.
- The participating practices were given instructions on how to generate the usage report.
- These annual reports provided sales of each class of antibiotic in total milligrams and in milligrams per kilogram, calculated based on the number of horses treated and their average weight.
Techniques for Calculating Dosages
- The Defined Daily Dose for animals (DDDvet) and the DDD/1000 (used in human medicine) were calculated to correct for variations in dosage rates between different antibiotics.
- The calculation of DDDvet was complicated by the varying dose rates of antimicrobials used in equine practice.
- The software relied on the accurate identification of antibiotic preparations.
Results of the Study
- The study brought together data from 14 equine practices, accounting for an annual maximum of 107,977 horses.
- The results revealed that the median annual antibiotic usage was 54.25 mg/kg, with 1.52 defined daily doses per animal per year and 4.17 defined daily doses per 1000 animals.
- The median usage of highest priority critically important antimicrobial was 0.67 mg/kg, with 0.12 defined daily doses per animal per year, and 0.33 defined daily doses per 1000 animals.
Conclusions and Future Implications
- The research presented a reliable technique for measuring antibiotic usage in equine practice.
- Defined daily dosage calculations could be helpful in equine practices, particularly due to the significant usage of potentiated sulphonamides.
- The findings and methods of this research could form the foundation for future clinical audits aimed at improving antimicrobial stewardship.
Cite This Article
APA
Tallon RE, Whitt B, Bladon BM.
(2023).
Antibiotic usage in 14 equine practices over a 10-year period (2012-2021).
Equine Vet J.
https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.13988 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Donnington Grove Veterinary Group, Berkshire, UK.
- Eclipse Veterinary Software Ltd, Essex, UK.
- Donnington Grove Veterinary Group, Berkshire, UK.
References
This article includes 13 references
- Murray CJ, Ikuta KS, Sharara F, Swetschinski L, Aguilar GR, Gray A. Global burden of bacterial antimicrobial resistance in 2019: a systematic analysis. Lancet 2022;399(10325):629-655.
- O'Neill J. The review on antimicrobial resistance. Tackling drug resistant infections globally: Final report and recommendations. 2016.
- UK-VARSS. Veterinary antibiotic resistance and sales surveillance report (UK-VARSS 2021). New Haw, Addlestone: Veterinary Medicines Directorate; 2022.
- Craig AL, Buijs S, Morrison S. Evaluation of veterinary antimicrobial benchmarking systems at farm-level in Europe: implications for the UK ruminant sector. Vet Rec 2020;187(10):402.
- WHO. ATC-DDD Toolkit. .
- Mair TS, Parkin TD. Audit of antimicrobial use in eleven equine practices over a five-year period (2014-2018). Equine Vet Educ 2022;34:404-408.
- . BETA National Equestrian Survey 2023 preliminary findings. London: National Equestrian Forum; 2023.
- Allen SE, Verheyen KLP, O'Neill DG, Brodbelt DC. Use of antimicrobials licensed for systemic administration in UK equine practice. Equine Vet J 2023;55:809-819.
- Wilson A, Mair T, Williams N, McGowan C, Pinchbeck G. Antimicrobial prescribing and antimicrobial resistance surveillance in equine practice. Equine Vet J 2022;55(3):494-505.
- European Medicines Agency. Defined daily doses for animals (DDDvet) and defined course doses for animals (DCDvet). .
- Llewelyn MJ, Fitzpatrick JM, Darwin E, Tonkin-Crine S, Gorton C, Paul J. The antibiotic course has had its day. BMJ 2017;358:j3418.
- Nuffield Trust. Antibiotic prescribing. .
- Montforts M. Environmental risk assessment for veterinary medicinal products. Part 1. Other than GMO-containing and immunological products. First update. 1997.
Citations
This article has been cited 0 times.Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists