scholarly journals 1631. Made to Measure: Development of a Scoring Tool to Customize Antimicrobial Stewardship Goals Across a Large Health System

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (suppl_1) ◽  
pp. S42-S43
Author(s):  
Andrea Y Logan ◽  
Julie E Williamson ◽  
Steven Jarrett ◽  
Lisa E Davidson
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Antimicrobial Stewardship ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Stewardship Program ◽  
Days Of Therapy ◽  
Minimum Score ◽  
Percentile Scores ◽  
Scoring Tool ◽  
Multi Disciplinary Team

Abstract Background The 2015 National Action Plan for Combating Antimicrobial Resistance called for a 20% decrease in antibiotic use among inpatients. Atrium Health (AH), formerly Carolinas HealthCare System, established reductions in antibiotic use (determined by days of therapy [DOT] per 1,000 patient days [PD]) as a yearly system-wide quality goal since 2016. Hospitals in the AH inpatient network vary by size, scope, and antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) maturity. Prior to our third year, we recognized the need to develop an objective method for determining antibiotic use reduction goals (AURGs); understanding that as ASPs mature, opportunities for reduction stabilize over time and may eventually plateau with consistent ASP. We sought to develop a tool that would better identify hospitals in need of aggressive AURGs. Methods A scoring tool was developed to assess ASP implementation and metric achievement at individual hospitals to determine AURGs. Tool components were developed from ASP best practices and consensus among a multi-disciplinary team. The tool yields a maximal score of 41.5 points, with higher scores corresponding to more established ASPs who require less aggressive AURGs. An additional 6 points could be earned for tracked intervention data. Figure 1. Scoring Tool Components The tool was applied and a score calculated for each of 27 hospitals. Achieved score placed each hospital into one of 4 AURG ranges: maintain, 1–2.5%, 2.5–5%, and 5–7.5% of DOT/1000 PD. Goals were determined in relation to the median and 75th percentile scores. A minimum score of 39.5, representing full implementation of ASP score components, was required for a maintenance goal. Results Scores ranged from 3 to 34.5 points across facilities (median 27.5; 75th percentile 31). Twelve facilities scored below 27.5 points, 10 hospitals between 27.5 and 31 points, and 5 facilities between 31 and 39.5 points corresponding to 5–7.5%, 2.5–5% and 1–2.5% AURGs, respectively. Figure 2. Facility Scores and AURGs Conclusion Scores and corresponding AURGs were generally well accepted by stakeholders at facilities within the AH network. Next steps include examining the feasibility of achieving AURGs and obtaining feedback from facilities to refine the tool. The tool will also be applied to other healthcare networks to assess external validity. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

scholarly journals 181. Antimicrobial Use in the Time of COVID-19 – Data from 84 VA Facilities

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S219-S220
Author(s):  
Matthew B Goetz ◽  
Christopher J Graber ◽  
Makoto M Jones ◽  
Vanessa W Stevens ◽  
Peter A Glassman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Stewardship ◽  
Lower Respiratory Tract ◽  
Drug Class ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Seasonal Effects ◽  
Antimicrobial Use ◽  
Drug Classes ◽  
Stewardship Program ◽  
Days Of Therapy

Abstract Background The VA initiated an antimicrobial stewardship program in 2011, which includes participation in the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Antimicrobial Use Option, educational webinars, training programs for antimicrobial stewards, required staffing & reporting, and quality improvement initiatives, that has led to ongoing decreases in antimicrobial therapy nationwide. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, there are several factors that may contribute increases in antimicrobial use (increased presentations of lower respiratory tract infection, concern for bacterial co-infection with SARS-CoV-2, etc.). We sought to compare patterns of antibacterial use in the VA from January – May 2020 with corresponding time periods in prior years. Methods Data on antibacterial use from 2015 – 2020 were extracted from the VA Corporate Data Warehouse for acute inpatient care units in 84 VA facilities (facilities which provide limited acute inpatient services were excluded). To control for seasonal effects, only data from January to May for each year were included in the analysis. Days of therapy (DOT) per 1000 days-present (DP) were calculated and stratified by CDC-defined antibiotic classes. Results From 2015 – 2019, total antibiotic use from January to May decreased by a mean of 9.1 DOT/1000 DP per year. In contrast, from 2019 to 2020, antibiotic use over the same months increased by 26.4 DOT/1000 DP (Table). Increases were observed in all drug classes except for a decrease in narrow spectrum ß-lactam antibiotics. Total antibiotic DOT in 2020 increased by 27.9 and 7.3 DOT/1000 DP in facilities in the highest and lowest terciles of use in 2019 (Figure). Table – Trends in Yearly Antibiotic Use by CDC Drug Class, 2015 to 2019 versus 2019 to 2020 Figure – Facility Specific Total Antibiotic Use in 2019 and Change in Use from 2019 to 2020 Conclusion We observed a broad increase in antibacterial use during the initial surge of COVID-19 cases in VA facilities that abruptly reversed steady reductions in use over the prior 4 years. The degree to which this increase reflects potentially appropriate use in the setting of increased patient vulnerability and provider uncertainty, inappropriately decreased provider thresholds for initiating or continuing therapy, or stresses on the structure and staffing of antimicrobial stewardship programs requires further study. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

scholarly journals 86. Use of a Novel Clinical Decision Support Tool for Pharmacist-Led Antimicrobial Stewardship in Patients with Normal Procalcitonin

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S60-S60
Author(s):  
Andrew B Watkins ◽  
Trevor C Van Schooneveld ◽  
Craig Reha ◽  
Jayme Anderson ◽  
Kelley McGinnis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Support ◽  
Clinical Decision Support ◽  
Antimicrobial Stewardship ◽  
Clinical Decision ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Pharmacist Intervention ◽  
Support Tool ◽  
Stewardship Program ◽  
Days Of Therapy ◽  
Tract Infections

Abstract Background Our Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (ASP) instituted review of patients on antibiotics with procalcitonin (PCT) < 0.25 mcg/L in 2012. In 2018, a clinical decision support (CDS) tool was implemented as part of a “daily checklist” for frontline pharmacists to assist in this patient review. We sought to validate the effectiveness of this tool for pharmacist-led PCT-based antibiotic stewardship. Methods A retrospective cohort design was used to assess antibiotic de-escalation after PCT alert in patients on antibiotics for lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI). Secondary outcomes included antibiotic use and length of stay (LOS) in patients with PCT interventions vs those without. Results From 1/2019 to 11/2019, 652 of 976 (66.8%) PCT alerts were addressed by pharmacists. Of these, 331 were in patients with a respiratory-related diagnosis at discharge and 165 alerts were in patients on antibiotics specifically for LRTI over 119 encounters. Pharmacists made or attempted interventions after 34 (20.6%) of these alerts, with narrowing spectrum or converting to oral therapy being the most common interventions. Antibiotics were completely stopped in 4 of these interventions (11.8%). Patients with pharmacist intervention had 125 fewer antibiotic days of therapy (DOT) in the hospital, and changes were made to an additional 56 DOT (narrower therapy, IV to PO, dose optimization) following the alert. Two cases (5.9%) subsequently had therapy escalated within 48 hours. Vancomycin was the most commonly discontinued antibiotic with an 85.3% use reduction in patients with interventions compared to 27.4% discontinuation in patients with no documented intervention (p=0.0156). Alerts eligible for de-escalation but with no pharmacist intervention represented 140 DOT. LOS was similar in patients from both groups (median 6.4 days vs. 7 days, p=0.81). Conclusion Interventions driven by a CDS tool for pharmacist-driven antimicrobial stewardship in patients with normal PCT resulted in fewer DOT and significantly higher rates of vancomycin discontinuation. Additional interventions could have potentially prevented 140 DOT. We feel refinement of this tool can lead to more meaningful CDS, reduce alert fatigue, and likely increase intervention rates. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

scholarly journals Antibiotic Use in Very Low Birth Weight Neonates After an Antimicrobial Stewardship Program

Antibiotics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 411
Author(s):  
Alberto Berardi ◽  
Isotta Zinani ◽  
Cecilia Rossi ◽  
Eugenio Spaggiari ◽  
Virginia D’Amico ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Low Birth Weight ◽  
Antimicrobial Stewardship ◽  
Very Low Birth Weight ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Intervention Period ◽  
Live Births ◽  
Stewardship Program ◽  
Days Of Therapy ◽  
Culture Negative

There is insufficient data regarding antimicrobial stewardship (AS) and outcomes of very low birth weight (VLBW) neonates after AS programs. This observational, retrospective study addressed AS and outcomes of VLBW neonates admitted to an Italian level-three center. Two periods were compared: (i) baseline, before AS (January 2011–December 2012) and (ii) intervention, after AS (January 2016–December 2017). Between these two periods, procedures were put in place to inform medical and nursing staff regarding AS. There were 111 and 119 VLBW neonates in the baseline (6744 live births) and in the intervention period (5902 live births), respectively. The number of infants exposed to antibiotics (70%) during the hospital stay did not change, but the total days of therapy (DOT, median 12 vs. 5) and DOT/1000 patient days (302 vs. 215) decreased in the intervention period (p < 0.01), as well as the median duration of first antibiotic treatment (144 vs. 48 h, p < 0.01). A re-analysis of single cases of culture-proven or culture-negative sepsis failed to demonstrate any association between deaths and a delay or insufficient antibiotic use in the intervention period. In conclusion, AS is feasible in preterm VLBW neonates and antibiotic use can be safely reduced.

scholarly journals 229. Hospitalists Antimicrobial Scorecard Improves Antibiotic Prescribing at a Community Teaching Hospital

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S116-S116
Author(s):  
Julia Sessa ◽  
Helen Jacoby ◽  
Bruce Blain ◽  
Lisa Avery
Keyword(s):  
Patient Care ◽  
Teaching Hospital ◽  
Antimicrobial Stewardship ◽  
Rank Order ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Outpatient Setting ◽  
Antibiotic Prescribing ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Days Of Therapy ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Measuring antimicrobial consumption data is a foundation of antimicrobial stewardship programs. There is data to support antimicrobial scorecard utilization to improve antibiotic use in the outpatient setting. There is a lack of data on the impact of an antimicrobial scorecard for hospitalists. Our objective was to improve antibiotic prescribing amongst the hospitalist service through the development of an antimicrobial scorecard. Methods Conducted in a 451-bed teaching hospital amongst 22 full time hospitalists. The antimicrobial scorecard for 2019 was distributed in two phases. In October 2019, baseline antibiotic prescribing data (January – September 2019) was distributed. In January 2020, a second scorecard was distributed (October – December 2019) to assess the impact of the scorecard. The scorecard distributed via e-mail to physicians included: Antibiotic days of therapy/1,000 patient care days (corrected for attending census), route of antibiotic prescribing (% intravenous (IV) vs % oral (PO)) and percentage of patients prescribed piperacillin-tazobactam (PT) for greater than 3 days. Hospitalists received their data in rank order amongst their peers. Along with the antimicrobial scorecard, recommendations from the antimicrobial stewardship team were included for hospitalists to improve their antibiotic prescribing for these initiatives. Hospitalists demographics (years of practice and gender) were collected. Descriptive statistics were utilized to analyze pre and post data. Results Sixteen (16) out of 22 (73%) hospitalists improved their antibiotic prescribing from pre- to post-scorecard (χ 2(1)=3.68, p = 0.055). The median antibiotic days of therapy/1,000 patient care days decreased from 661 pre-scorecard to 618 post-scorecard (p = 0.043). The median PT use greater than 3 days also decreased significantly, from 18% pre-scorecard to 11% post-scorecard (p = 0.0025). There was no change in % of IV antibiotic prescribing and no correlation between years of experience or gender to antibiotic prescribing. Conclusion Providing antimicrobial scorecards to our hospitalist service resulted in a significant decrease in antibiotic days of therapy/1,000 patient care days and PT prescribing beyond 3 days. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

scholarly journals Acceptability and effectiveness of antimicrobial stewardship implementation strategies on fluoroquinolone prescribing

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Katie J. Suda ◽  
Gosia S. Clore ◽  
Charlesnika T. Evans ◽  
Heather Schacht Reisinger ◽  
Ibuola Kale ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Stewardship ◽  
Clinical Pathways ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Implementation Strategies ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Audit And Feedback ◽  
Prior Approval ◽  
Days Of Therapy ◽  
Prospective Audit And Feedback ◽  
Advanced Generation

Abstract Objective: To assess the effectiveness and acceptability of antimicrobial stewardship-focused implementation strategies on inpatient fluoroquinolones. Methods: Stewardship champions at 15 hospitals were surveyed regarding the use and acceptability of strategies to improve fluoroquinolone prescribing. Antibiotic days of therapy (DOT) per 1,000 days present (DP) for sites with and without prospective audit and feedback (PAF) and/or prior approval were compared. Results: Among all of the sites, 60% had PAF or prior approval implemented for fluoroquinolones. Compared to sites using neither strategy (64.2 ± 34.4 DOT/DP), fluoroquinolone prescribing rates were lower for sites that employed PAF and/or prior approval (35.5 ± 9.8; P = .03) and decreased from 2017 to 2018 (P < .001). This decrease occurred without an increase in advanced-generation cephalosporins. Total antibiotic rates were 13% lower for sites with PAF and/or prior approval, but this difference did not reach statistical significance (P = .20). Sites reporting that PAF and/or prior approval were “completely” accepted had lower fluoroquinolone rates than sites where it was “moderately” accepted (34.2 ± 5.7 vs 48.7 ± 4.5; P < .01). Sites reported that clinical pathways and/or local guidelines (93%), prior approval (93%), and order forms (80%) “would” or “may” be effective in improving fluoroquinolone use. Although most sites (73%) indicated that requiring infectious disease consults would or may be effective in improving fluoroquinolones, 87% perceived implementation to be difficult. Conclusions: PAF and prior approval implementation strategies focused on fluoroquinolones were associated with significantly lower fluoroquinolone prescribing rates and nonsignificant decreases in total antibiotic use, suggesting limited evidence for class substitution. The association of acceptability of strategies with lower rates highlights the importance of culture. These results may indicate increased acceptability of implementation strategies and/or sensitivity to FDA warnings.

scholarly journals Implementation of a Rapid Phenotypic Susceptibility Platform for Gram-Negative Bloodstream Infections With Paired Antimicrobial Stewardship Intervention: Is the Juice Worth the Squeeze?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evan D Robinson ◽  
Allison M Stilwell ◽  
April E Attai ◽  
Lindsay E Donohue ◽  
Megan D Shah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Median Time ◽  
Antimicrobial Stewardship ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Bloodstream Infections ◽  
Standard Of Care ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Stewardship Program ◽  
Days Of Therapy ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Implementation of the Accelerate PhenoTM Gram-negative platform (RDT) paired with antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) intervention projects to improve time to institutional-preferred antimicrobial therapy (IPT) for Gram-negative bacilli (GNB) bloodstream infections (BSIs). However, few data describe the impact of discrepant RDT results from standard of care (SOC) methods on antimicrobial prescribing. Methods A single-center, pre-/post-intervention study of consecutive, nonduplicate blood cultures for adult inpatients with GNB BSI following combined RDT + ASP intervention was performed. The primary outcome was time to IPT. An a priori definition of IPT was utilized to limit bias and to allow for an assessment of the impact of discrepant RDT results with the SOC reference standard. Results Five hundred fourteen patients (PRE 264; POST 250) were included. Median time to antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) results decreased 29.4 hours (P &lt; .001) post-intervention, and median time to IPT was reduced by 21.2 hours (P &lt; .001). Utilization (days of therapy [DOTs]/1000 days present) of broad-spectrum agents decreased (PRE 655.2 vs POST 585.8; P = .043) and narrow-spectrum beta-lactams increased (69.1 vs 141.7; P &lt; .001). Discrepant results occurred in 69/250 (28%) post-intervention episodes, resulting in incorrect ASP recommendations in 10/69 (14%). No differences in clinical outcomes were observed. Conclusions While implementation of a phenotypic RDT + ASP can improve time to IPT, close coordination with Clinical Microbiology and continued ASP follow up are needed to optimize therapy. Although uncommon, the potential for erroneous ASP recommendations to de-escalate to inactive therapy following RDT results warrants further investigation.

scholarly journals Effects of a Paediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship Program on Antimicrobial Use and Quality of Prescriptions in Patients with Appendix-Related Intraabdominal Infections

Antibiotics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 5
Author(s):  
Sílvia Simó ◽  
Eneritz Velasco-Arnaiz ◽  
María Ríos-Barnés ◽  
María Goretti López-Ramos ◽  
Manuel Monsonís ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Stewardship ◽  
Broad Spectrum ◽  
Case Fatality ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Antimicrobial Use ◽  
Stewardship Program ◽  
Days Of Therapy ◽  
Length Of Therapy ◽  
Intraabdominal Infections

The effectiveness of antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASP) in reducing antimicrobial use (AU) in children has been proved. Many interventions have been described suitable for different institution sizes, priorities, and patients, with surgical wards being one of the areas that may benefit the most. We aimed to describe the results on AU and length of stay (LOS) in a pre-post study during the three years before (2014–2016) and the three years after (2017–2019) implementation of an ASP based on postprescription review with feedback in children and adolescents admitted for appendix-related intraabdominal infections (AR-IAI) in a European Referral Paediatric University Hospital. In the postintervention period, the quality of prescriptions (QP) was also evaluated. Overall, 2021 AR-IAIs admissions were included. Global AU, measured both as days of therapy/100 patient days (DOT/100PD) and length of therapy (LOT), and global LOS remained unchanged in the postintervention period. Phlegmonous appendicitis LOS (p = 0.003) and LOT (p < 0.001) significantly decreased, but not those of other AR-IAI diagnoses. The use of piperacillin–tazobactam decreased by 96% (p = 0.044), with no rebound in the use of other Gram-negative broad-spectrum antimicrobials. A quasisignificant (p = 0.052) increase in QP was observed upon ASP implementation. Readmission and case fatality rates remained stable. ASP interventions were safe, and they reduced LOS and LOT of phlegmonous appendicitis and the use of selected broad-spectrum antimicrobials, while increasing QP in children with AR-IAI.

scholarly journals 2044. An Assessment and Feedback Model Bringing Antimicrobial Stewardship Program Expertise to Long-Term Care Facilities

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. S687-S687
Author(s):  
Philip Chung ◽  
Kate Tyner ◽  
Scott Bergman ◽  
Teresa Micheels ◽  
Mark E Rupp ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Stewardship ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Rank Test ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Clostridioides Difficile ◽  
Stewardship Program ◽  
Days Of Therapy ◽  
Care Facilities

Abstract Background Long-term care facilities (LTCF) often struggle with implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASP) that meet all CDC core elements (CE). The CDC recommends partnership with infectious diseases (ID)/ASP experts to guide ASP implementation. The Nebraska Antimicrobial Stewardship Assessment and Promotion Program (ASAP) is an initiative funded by NE DHHS via a CDC grant to assist healthcare facilities with ASP implementation. Methods ASAP performed on-site baseline evaluation of ASP in 5 LTCF (42–293 beds) in the spring of 2017 using a 64-item questionnaire based on CDC CE. After interviewing ASP members, ASAP provided prioritized facility-specific recommendations for ASP implementation. LTCF were periodically contacted in the next 12 months to provide implementation support and evaluate progress. The number of CE met, recommendations implemented, antibiotic starts (AS) and days of therapy (DOT)/1000 resident-days (RD), and incidence of facility-onset Clostridioides difficile infections (FO-CDI) were compared 6 to 12 months before and after on-site visits. Paired t-test and Wilcoxon signed rank test were used for statistical analyses. Results Multidisciplinary ASP existed in all 5 facilities at baseline with medical directors (n = 2) or directors of nursing (n = 3) designated as team leads. Median CE implemented increased from 3 at baseline to 6 at the end of follow-up (P = 0.06). No LTCF had all 7 CE at baseline. By the end of one year, 2 facilities implemented all 7 CE with the remaining implementing 6 CE. LTCF not meeting all CE were only deficient in reporting ASP metrics to providers and staff. Among the 38 recommendations provided by ASAP, 82% were partially or fully implemented. Mean AS/1000 RD reduced by 19% from 10.1 at baseline to 8.2 post-intervention (P = 0.37) and DOT/1000 RD decreased by 21% from 91.7 to 72.5 (P = 0.20). The average incidence of FO-CDI decreased by 75% from 0.53 to 0.13 cases/10,000 RD (P = 0.25). Conclusion Assessment of LTCF ASP along with feedback for improvement by ID/ASP experts resulted in more programs meeting all 7 CE. Favorable reductions in antimicrobial use and CDI rates were also observed. Moving forward, the availability of these services should be expanded to all LTCFs struggling with ASP implementation. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

Changes in antibiotic use following implementation of a telehealth stewardship pilot program

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (7) ◽  
pp. 810-814 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brigid M. Wilson ◽  
Richard E. Banks ◽  
Christopher J. Crnich ◽  
Emma Ide ◽  
Roberto A. Viau ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Stewardship ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Veterans Affairs ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Medical Centers ◽  
Stewardship Program ◽  
Days Of Therapy ◽  
Veterans Affairs Medical Centers

AbstractStarting in 2016, we initiated a pilot tele-antibiotic stewardship program at 2 rural Veterans Affairs medical centers (VAMCs). Antibiotic days of therapy decreased significantly (P < .05) in the acute and long-term care units at both intervention sites, suggesting that tele-stewardship can effectively support antibiotic stewardship practices in rural VAMCs.

scholarly journals Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Veterinarians Towards Antimicrobial Resistance and Stewardship in Nigeria

Antibiotics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 453
Author(s):  
Usman O. Adekanye ◽  
Abel B. Ekiri ◽  
Erika Galipó ◽  
Abubakar Bala Muhammad ◽  
Ana Mateus ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Resistance ◽  
Antimicrobial Stewardship ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Prophylactic Antibiotic ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Attitudes And Practices ◽  
Laboratory Services ◽  
Knowledge Attitudes And Practices

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health concern and the inappropriate use of antibiotics in animals and humans is considered a contributing factor. A cross-sectional survey to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of veterinarians regarding AMR and antimicrobial stewardship was conducted in Nigeria. A total of 241 respondents completed an online survey. Only 21% of respondents correctly defined the term antimicrobial stewardship and 59.8% were unaware of the guidelines provided by the Nigeria AMR National Action Plan. Over half (51%) of the respondents indicated that prophylactic antibiotic use was appropriate when farm biosecurity was poor. Only 20% of the respondents conducted antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) frequently, and the unavailability of veterinary laboratory services (82%) and the owner’s inability to pay (72%) were reported as key barriers to conducting AST. The study findings suggest strategies focusing on the following areas may be useful in improving appropriate antibiotic use and antimicrobial stewardship among veterinarians in Nigeria: increased awareness of responsible antimicrobial use among practicing and newly graduated veterinarians, increased dissemination of regularly updated antibiotic use guidelines, increased understanding of the role of good biosecurity and vaccination practices in disease prevention, and increased provision of laboratory services and AST at affordable costs.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document