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Equine veterinary journal2025; doi: 10.1111/evj.14535

Use of a point prevalence survey to measure antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance in equine veterinary hospitals.

Abstract: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is increasingly recognised in equine medicine. Antimicrobial use (AMU) is a key driver of AMR. Objective: To pilot a point prevalence survey (PPS), based on the Global-PPS used in human hospitals, to obtain data on antibiotic prescribing and AMR in equine hospitals and to identify targets for improvement in AMU. Methods: Point prevalence survey. Methods: Eight equine hospitals located in Australia, Belgium, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States were recruited. Data on AMU were collected from all in-patients on antibiotic treatment at 08h00 on four selected study days throughout the study year (2022). Results: In total, 742 patients, 310 (41.8%) surgical and 432 (58.2%) nonsurgical cases, were evaluated and 58.7% (182/310) surgical and 25.9% (112/432) nonsurgical patients were on antibiotics. The most prescribed antibiotics were penicillin, gentamicin and trimethoprim sulfonamides. In 45.2% (215/476) of prescriptions, use was prophylactic. Therapeutic use was based on a biomarker in 48.8% (127/260) of treatments. A sample was submitted for culture in 56.9% (148/260) of therapeutic treatments. A positive culture result was reported from 49.3% (73/148) of samples, with an antibiogram available for 90.4% (66/73) of the positive cultures. An antibiotic use stop/review date was not recorded in 59.5% (283/476) of uses. Conclusions: This PPS was a pilot study with a relatively small sample size and likely does not reflect AMU in all types of equine hospitals in all geographic locations. Conclusions: The PPS identified multiple ways in which antibiotic prescribing could be improved. Targets identified for stewardship interventions included empiric use of European Medicines Agency Category A and B antibiotics, the high prevalence of prophylaxis and the lack of use of a stop/review date. The survey could be used as a repeatable tool to assess stewardship interventions in equine hospitals.
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Publication Date: 2025-06-04 PubMed ID: 40468537DOI: 10.1111/evj.14535Google Scholar: Lookup
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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.

The research involves a study testing a survey known as a point prevalence survey (PPS) in order to gather data on antibiotic use and resistance in equine hospitals. The data collected helps identify improvements that could be made in how antibiotics are prescribed.

Objective and Methods

  • The objective of the study was to test a point prevalence survey (PPS) aiming to obtain information regarding antibiotics use (AMU) and antibiotic resistance (AMR) in equine veterinary hospitals.
  • The PPS method, initially used in human hospitals, was employed here to study AMU and AMR in eight different equine hospitals situated in Australia, Belgium, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The information was collected from the patients under antibiotic treatment at a given time on four selected days throughout the year 2022.

Results

  • The total number of patients evaluated was 742, which consisted of 310 surgical patients and 432 non-surgical patients. From the total, 58.7% of the surgical patients and 25.9% of the non-surgical patients were on antibiotics.
  • The most frequently prescribed antibiotics were penicillin, gentamicin, and trimethoprim sulfonamides. About 45.2% of the prescriptions were for prophylactic use.
  • For 48.8% of the treatments, therapeutic use was based on a biomarker. Samples were submitted for culture in 56.9% of therapeutic treatments, with a positive culture result reported from 49.3% of the samples. The test also revealed that a stop or review date of antibiotic use was not recorded in 59.5% of uses.

Conclusions

  • Despite the PPS being a pilot study with a relatively small sample size, the pilot study uncovered several areas where antibiotic prescribing could be improved. These potential improvements include more careful use of certain categories of antibiotics, a greater focus on prophylaxis, and the implementation of stop/review dates for antibiotic use.
  • The researchers concluded that the survey method could be applied repeatedly as a tool to observe and assess changes brought by stewardship interventions in equine hospitals.

Cite This Article

APA
Leus EK, Collins N, Gruyaert M, Kennedy RN, McConnell E, McGorum BC, Luethy D, Sanz M, Versporten A, Viljoen A, Lyle CH. (2025). Use of a point prevalence survey to measure antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance in equine veterinary hospitals. Equine Vet J. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.14535

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English

Researcher Affiliations

Leus, E K
  • Vetscape Animal Hospital, Paarl, Western Cape, South Africa.
Collins, N
  • Scone Equine Hospital, Scone, New South Wales, Australia.
Gruyaert, M
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Large Animal Surgery, Anaesthesia and Orthopaedics, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Kennedy, R N
  • Momentum Metropolitan Life Ltd, Bellville, Western Cape, South Africa.
McConnell, E
  • The Animal Hospital at Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia.
McGorum, B C
  • The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, The University of Edinburgh, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, Edinburgh, UK.
Luethy, D
  • Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Florida, USA.
Sanz, M
  • Washington State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Pullman, Washington, USA.
Versporten, A
  • Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), University of Antwerp, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Antwerp, Belgium.
Viljoen, A
  • Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, Gauteng, South Africa.
Lyle, C H
  • Vetscape Animal Hospital, Paarl, Western Cape, South Africa.

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