Factors Influencing Antibiotic Prescribing Behavior and Understanding of Antimicrobial Resistance Among Veterinarians in Assam, India.
Authors
Eltholth, Mahmoud
Govindaraj, Gurrappanaidu
Das, Banani
Shanabhoga, MB
Swamy, HM
Thomas, Abin
Cole, Jennifer
Shome, Bibek R
Holmes, Mark A
Moran, Dominic
Publication Date
2022Journal Title
Front Vet Sci
ISSN
2297-1769
Publisher
Frontiers Media SA
Volume
9
Language
en
Type
Article
This Version
VoR
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Eltholth, M., Govindaraj, G., Das, B., Shanabhoga, M., Swamy, H., Thomas, A., Cole, J., et al. (2022). Factors Influencing Antibiotic Prescribing Behavior and Understanding of Antimicrobial Resistance Among Veterinarians in Assam, India.. Front Vet Sci, 9 https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2022.864813
Abstract
This study investigates factors influencing veterinarians' antibiotic prescribing behaviors and their understanding of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The study used a telephone survey of 50 veterinarians conducted in five districts in Assam state, India. The survey sought information on the most prevalent animal diseases, veterinarians' awareness of potential preventive measures, including factors determining antimicrobial prescribing; the types of antimicrobials used for different health conditions in different species, and possible options to reduce antimicrobial use (AMU). The majority (86%) of respondents worked for the government, 98% reported having no written policy for the use of veterinary health products, and 58% have no on-site diagnostic facilities. Ceftriaxone, Enrofloxacin, and Oxytetracycline were the antibiotics (ABX) most frequently prescribed, by 76, 68, and 54% of veterinarians, respectively. These ABX were prescribed mainly for respiratory health problems and mastitis in cattle, and gastrointestinal infections in buffaloes, sheep, goat, and pigs. Severity of clinical symptoms, economic status of the livestock owner, and withdrawal period for ABX were ranked as very important factors for giving ABX. Less than two thirds (64%) were aware of the government ban for Colistin and only 2% were aware of a national plan for AMR. This study highlighted that ABX prescription is mostly based on tentative diagnosis given the lack of diagnostic facilities in most veterinary clinics. There is a need to enhance veterinary healthcare and to improve communication between policy makers and field veterinarians and, importantly, a need to disseminate clear prescribing guidelines on prudent AMU.
Keywords
Veterinary Science, antibiotics, antimicrobial resistance, livestock, veterinarians, prescribing, behavior
Sponsorship
Economic and Social Research Council (ES/S000186/1)
Identifiers
External DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2022.864813
This record's URL: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/336971
Rights
Licence:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Statistics
Total file downloads (since January 2020). For more information on metrics see the
IRUS guide.