Network on quantification of veterinary Antimicrobial consumption at herd level and Analysis, CommunicaTion and benchmarking to improve responsible use

Interventions

Surveillance

Research Network: 2017-01-01 - 2017-12-31
Total sum awarded: €50 000

This network aims at developping guidelines and describing best practices for data collection systems of antimicrobials usage (AMU) in food-producing animals at farm level, applicable for herd level antibiotic stewardship, including benchmarking and result-communication to stakeholders and risk managers. To achieve this first a SWOT analysis of all currently available systems will be performed. Based on this strong and weak parts of the different systems will be identified and used to develop “best practice guidelines” adapted to the country specificities. The implementation of these guidelines also aim ad improving comparability between results from various countries/ sectors/ species. Additionally, the up-to-date information on all currently available systems and the developed guidelines will be made publicly available through an online platform. This will aid interested people from various backgrounds to easily gain a comprehensive image of the work done on quantification of veterinary antimicrobial use at the herd level. Moreover, the platform will function as a discussion forum, where ideas, knowledge and experiences can be exchanged and discussed. Finally, a conference will be organized to gather all interested people active in the field of quantifying Veterinary Antimicrobial Consumption both to promote the guidelines and online platform as well as to discuss further developments and challenges.

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  • Jeroen Dewulf, University of Ghent, Belgium (Coordinator)
  • Cedric Muentener, University of Zurich, Switzerland (Observer)
  • Katharina Staerk, SAFOSO, Switzerland (Observer)
  • Dick Heederik, Utrecht University, Netherlands (Observer)
  • Inge Van Geijlswijk, Utrecht University, Netherlands (Observer)
  • Walter Obritzhauser, University of Veterinary Medicine, Austria (Observer)
  • Klemens Fuchs, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, Austria (Observer)
  • Kari Grave, The Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Norway (Observer)
  • Federico Scali, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale, Italy (Observer)
  • Alborali Giovanni Loris, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale, Italy (Observer)
  • Carolee Carson, Centre for Food-borne, Environmental, Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Public Health Agency of Canada, Canada (Observer)
  • Anne Hémonic, IFIP-Institut du porc, France (Observer)
  • Richard J. Reid-Smith, Centre for Food-borne, Environmental, Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Public Health Agency of Canada, Canada (Observer)
  • David F. Léger, Centre for Food-borne, Environmental, Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Public Health Agency of Canada, Canada (Observer)
  • Agnes Agunos, Centre for Food-borne, Environmental, Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Public Health Agency of Canada, Canada (Observer)
  • Hannah Reeves, Veterinary Medicines Directorate, United Kingdom (Observer)
  • Fraser Broadfoot, Veterinary Medicines Directorate, United Kingdom (Observer)
  • Kay Isabella Torriani, Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office, FSVO, Switzerland (Observer)
  • Claire Chauvin, ANSES, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety, France (Observer)
  • Roswitha Merle, University of Berlin, Germany (Observer)
  • Annemarie Käsbohrer, BfR and University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria (Observer)
  • Mette Ely Fertner, University of Copenhagen, Denmark (Observer)
  • Birgitte Borck Høg, Technical University of Denmark, Denmark (Observer)
  • Vibe Dalhoff Andersen, Technical University of Denmark, Denmark (Observer)
  • Wannes Vanderhaeghen, AMCRA, Belgium (Observer)

AACTING, the "Network on quantification of veterinary Antimicrobial usage at herd level and Analysis, CommunicaTion and benchmarkING to improve responsible usage", stems from the recognition that antimicrobial usage (AMU), as the main driver for the selection and spread of antimicrobial resistance, should be reduced. To be able to target the highest users and evaluate the effect of AMU reduction measures and responsible use campaigns, availability of adequate AMU data is vital. Many countries have set up, are in the early stages of setting up or are planning to set up systems for monitoring farm-level AMU data in food animals. Such data have been shown to be powerful tools for antibiotic stewardship, e.g., stimulating a more responsible AMU through benchmarking farmers' and veterinarians' AMU. Due to a lack of standardisation among the systems, in terms of collection and analyses methodology (e.g., units of measurement and indicators) and benchmarking strategies (e.g., different benchmark criteria for acceptable or problematic use), the produced outcomes are typically not comparable. Furthermore, countries or organizations setting up a monitoring system will experience similar challenges and choices to solve. The AACTING project has developed guidelines with practical advises on setting up AMU monitoring systems and their application to guide antimicrobial stewardship. These guidelines are disseminated through the AACTING-website. The website also contains a searchable database of monitoring systems, allowing to look per country or per animal species for farm-level AMU monitoring systems, currently containing information on 16 countries and 29 AMU data-collection systems.

Call

2016 - AMR Networks/Working Groups