Abstract
BackgroundAntimicrobial use in livestock is one of the factors contributing to selection and spread of resistant microorganisms in the environment. National veterinary antimicrobial consumption monitoring programs are therefore in place in a number of countries in the European Union. However, due to differences in methodology, results on veterinary antimicrobial consumption from these national monitoring programs cannot be compared internationally. International comparison is highly needed to establish regulations on veterinary antimicrobial use and reducing antimicrobial resistance. The aim of this study was to assess differences in the outcomes on veterinary antimicrobial consumption by applying three different sets of nationally established animal defined daily dosages to the same antimicrobial drug delivery dataset of Dutch pigs in 2012.MethodsDelivery information for the complete Dutch pig sector for the year 2012 reported to the Netherlands Veterinary Medicines Authority (SDa) was analysed with three differently and nationally established animal defined daily dosages from the Netherlands and Denmark: the Defined Daily Dosage AnimalNL (DDDANL), the Animal Daily DosageDK (ADDDK) and Defined Animal Daily DosageDK (DADDDK). For each applied Dutch product equivalent, Danish products were identified based on authorization for pigs, active substance (including form), administration route, concentration and dosage regimen.ResultsConsumption in number of ADDDK/Y was lower than in number of DDDANL/Y for sows/piglets and finisher pigs, with proportions of 83.3 % and 98.3 %. Use in number of DADDDK/Y was even lower, 79.7 % for sows/piglets and 88.1 % for finisher pigs compared to number of DDDANL/Y. At therapeutic group level proportions of number of DADDDK/Y to number of DDDANL/Y were 63.6-150.4 % (sows/piglets) and 55.6-171.0 % (finisher pigs). Proportions were > 100 % for the polymyxines (sows/piglets 150.4 % and finisher pigs 149.9 %) and the macrolides/lincosamides (finisher pigs 171.0 %).ConclusionsDifferences between nationally established animal defined daily dosages caused by different correction factors for long-acting products and national differences in authorized dosages, have a substantial influence on the results of antimicrobial consumption in pigs. To enable international comparison of veterinary antimicrobial consumption data, harmonized units of measurement, animal weights and animal (sub) categories are needed.
Highlights
Antimicrobial use in livestock is one of the factors contributing to selection and spread of resistant microorganisms in the environment
Antimicrobial Veterinary Medicinal Product (AVMP) use in livestock is one of the main factors contributing to selection and spread of resistant microorganisms, such as extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing microorganisms (ESBLs) [1]
A working party of the European Surveillance of Veterinary Antimicrobial Consumption (ESVAC) aims to specify the reports for example by stratifying sales of specific AVMPs to animal categories [12] and to establish internationally harmonized animal defined daily dosages, comparable to the units used in the Netherlands and Denmark [10, 13] in order to enable cross country comparison
Summary
Antimicrobial use in livestock is one of the factors contributing to selection and spread of resistant microorganisms in the environment. Antimicrobial Veterinary Medicinal Product (AVMP) use in livestock is one of the main factors contributing to selection and spread of resistant microorganisms, such as extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing microorganisms (ESBLs) [1] The animals and their environment form a reservoir for the transmission of resistant pathogens to other animals and potentially to humans [2,3,4,5,6]. Due to national product availability, legal considerations such as differences in authorized indications and dosages (since authorization of medicinal products still occurs mainly on a national rather than on an European level) differences in animal defined daily dosages applied in different countries can be expected This lack of uniformity complicates international comparison of the results from national veterinary antimicrobial drug consumption monitoring programs
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