Practicing antimicrobial stewardshipFebruary 1, 2023 Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS), particularly as related to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), should be considered daily due to its global prioritization by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other human and veterinary key groups.
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VPN Plus+ ExclusiveAntimicrobial stewardship: What it is and why it mattersAugust 4, 2020By Brennen McKenzie, MA, MSc, VMD, cVMAAntimicrobials have tremendous therapeutic benefits in human and veterinary patients. After vaccination, antibiotics are probably the most important medical intervention of the 20th century in terms of reducing suffering and death. Of course, antimicrobials can also have significant adverse effects. And any use of antimicrobials, including appropriate therapeutic use, creates a selection pressure that can result in emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) or an increase in the abundance of resistant bacteria. Adverse effects and the development of resistance reduce the potential benefits of antibiotics. Antimicrobial stewardship is the concept of using antibiotics in a manner that maximizes their benefits, minimizes risks, and conserves the effectiveness of these important drugs.1 Changing when and how we use antibiotics is the key to achieving these goals. Antimicrobial stewardship involves three general strategies: 1) Preventing infectious disease occurrence 2) Reducing overall antimicrobial use 3) Using antimicrobials in ways that maximize the benefits, minimize the adverse effects, and reduce the development of antibiotic resistance Preventing infections Preventing bacterial infections automatically reduces the need for, and hence the use of, antimicrobials. This involves encouraging clients to provide appropriate husbandry and preventive care, including vaccination, proper nutrition, isolation of sick animals, and other prophylactic measures. Prevention of …
Antimicrobials see second-lowest year for salesDecember 11, 2019Antimicrobials for use in food-producing animals have maintained low volume of sales and distribution in recent years.
2019 World Veterinary Day highlights the value of vaccinesMarch 12, 2019Vaccines are critical to animal health, which is why this year World Veterinary Day (WVD) is focusing on the value of vaccination. Created by the World Veterinary Association (WVA) in 2000, WVD reminds pet owners of the importance of animal care, and how veterinarians and their teams can help. According to the WVA, vaccines are an essential tool for preventive veterinary medicine, promotion of animal health and welfare, and reducing the risk of human exposure to many zoonotic pathogens. Vaccination programs can reduce the need for antimicrobials, and in turn, decreases the risk of emergent antimicrobial resistance. According to WVA and HealthforAnimals, it is vital for the global veterinary profession to educate the public, particularly animal owners and producers, about the benefits of vaccination for animal, human, and public health. This year, WVD takes place on April 27.
FDA reports decline in antimicrobial sales for food-producing animalsJanuary 7, 2019Domestic sales and distribution of all medically important antimicrobials intended for use in food-producing animals have decreased by 33 percent between 2016 and 2017.
WHO urges end to antibiotics use in healthy food-producing animalsNovember 10, 2017The World Health Organization (WHO) launched new guidelines regarding the use of antimicrobials in food-producing animals, urging farmers and the food industry to stop using antibiotics to promote growth and prevent disease in otherwise healthy animals. The guidelines were announced ahead of World Antibiotic Awareness Week, Nov. 13-19. The WHO recommends an overall reduction in the use of all classes of medically important antibiotics in food-producing animals, including complete restriction of these antibiotics for growth promotion and disease prevention without diagnosis. Healthy animals should receive antibiotics only to prevent disease if it has been diagnosed in other animals in the same flock, herd, or fish population, according to the WHO. The new guidelines aim to help preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics important for human medicine. They recommend that antibiotics used in animals should be among those that are the least important to human health, and not from those classified as "critically important." The European Union barred the practice in 2006, and a US ban on use of "medically important" antibiotics kicked in at the beginning of this year, according to the WHO. "A lack of effective antibiotics is as serious a security threat …
