Optimization of Veterinary Antimicrobial Treatment in Companion and Food Animals

The global antimicrobial resistance crisis has been the driver of several international strategies on antimicrobial stewardship. Despite their good intentions, such broad strategies are only slowly being implemented in real life. Antimicrobial resistance bacteria flow among humans and animals, and actions for fighting the problem must consider both sectors. Antimicrobial usage is one of the potential drivers for antimicrobial resistance. The usage of antibiotics concerning companion and food animals and antimicrobials is undoubtedly beneficial for the prevention of diseases and the improvement of livestock performance. Unfortunately, in veterinary medicine, which is challenged by a shortage of experts in key disciplines related to antimicrobial stewardship, there are few antimicrobial treatment guidelines and diagnostic tests are inferior compared to human microbiology, without providing enough valuable information, which makes it difficult to identify by whom, when, and how the antimicrobial products are used. The main aspects of antimicrobial resistance monitoring remain unsolved in both companion and food animals, the use of appropriate methods for collection of information at the animal and farm levels, and the choice of metrics of measurement of antimicrobial resistance and animal populations at risk.