The quantity of antimicrobial drugs imported, manufactured and/or sold for use in human or veterinary medicine in a country. Typically expressed as ‘defined daily dose’.

Formally, a compound that is produced by or derived from a micro-organism and that can be effectively used to kill or inhibit the growth of other micro-organisms. Commonly used also for synthetic antimicrobial compounds; in this course, used as a synonym for ‘antibacterial’.

Use of antibiotics at sub-therapeutic doses, usually in feed, to increase animal growth and productivity.

Peptides 15-50 amin acids in length that exhibit broad spectrum antibiotic activity. They are also known as host defence peptides (HDPs) and are part of the innate immune response found among all classes of life.

Antimicrobial drug molecules, or their metabolites, that remain in the meat of an animal after treatment, or are excreted into the environment by an animal or person, or enter the environment via water (e.g. via effluent and wastewater systems or antibiotic treatment of aquatic species) or pharmaceutical waste.

Resistance, innate or acquired, by a microbe (most often, a bacterium) to any compound that is designed to kill It or inhibit its growth. Several different mechanisms of antibiotic resistance exist.

Genes which confer antibiotic resistance to bacteria.

A compound (drug) that kills or inhibits the growth of any type of micro-organism: bacteria, fungi, parasites or viruses. This term applies whether the agent is intended for human, veterinary, or agricultural applications.

A set of guidelines and practices designed to promote optimal antimicrobial prescribing, reduce inappropriate and excessive antimicrobial use, and ultimately reduce antimicrobial resistance.

The quantity of antimicrobial drugs (typically measured as kg of antibiotics) prescribed or administered to an individual person or animal, or group of animals (e.g., herd, flock) and measured at the level of healthcare facility, farm, region or country.

A compound that specifically kills a virus or prevents the spread of a viral infection.

A microbiological test to determine whether bacteria are susceptible or resistant to an antibiotic.

Measures taken to ensure that people are not intentionally or unintentionally exposed to hazardous organisms or toxins. On farms, measures that prevent the introduction of unwanted organisms from sources external to the farm and spread within the farm via pathways such as farm workers’ clothing and footwear, vehicles, equipment, feed and wildlife.

Protozoan parasite that affects the intestinal tracts of animals.

Bacteria species that are part of the normal flora (microbiome) of a human or animal, and do not normally cause disease.

A list of antimicrobials which are most important in human medicine. The list is intended to assist in prudent use of antimicrobials in both humans and animals.

‘The coordinated guidance and interventions to improve appropriate use of microbiological diagnostics to guide therapeutic decisions. It should promote appropriate, timely diagnostic testing, including specimen collection, and pathogen identification and accurate, timely reporting of results to guide patient treatment.’ (WHO, 2015b)

Experience and, more specifically, treatment begun on the basis of a clinical ‘educated guess’ in the absence of complete or perfect information.

An infection of the upper layers of skin and superficial lymphatics caused by bacteria.

European Union, a political and economic union of states/countries that are located primarily in Europe.

External factors that influence a veterinarian’s decision to prescribe antibiotics.

The Farmed Animal Antimicrobial Stewardship Initiative, a collaborative initiative between Ontario Veterinary Medical Association, government, academic and industry partners to improve antimicrobial stewardship.

A specialist agency of the United Nations, with over 194 member states, that aims to ensure that all people have access to an adequate supply of nutritious food.

First choice antimicrobial drug chosen for clinical efficacy and fewest side effects. Second-line therapies are only used if there is no clinical improvement or side-effects prevent continuation of initial choice.

Animals that will be slaughtered and enter the human food chain.

Access to safe and nutritious food sufficient to dietary requirements for health.

Hoof infection of sheep, goats and cattle, caused by bacteria.

A plan for tackling antimicrobial resistance worldwide endorsed at the World Health Assembly in 2015, with five strategic objectives.

Pertaining to the tract from mouth to anus and including all organs of digestion.

The Global Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System for standardising and sharing surveillance data on antimicrobial resistance worldwide.

Use of antibiotics at sub-therapeutic doses, usually in feed, to increase productivity.

Indirect protection from an infectious disease that occurs when a population is immune either through vaccination or immunity develops through previous infection.

Highest priority of critically important antibiotics.

The care and management of animals.

Nutritional supplements that help animals break down and digest plant materials they otherwise cannot use effectively. Good for ruminants like cattle and sheep.

Considerations impacting on the decision whether to give an antimicrobial or not. These are associated with the behaviour and attitude to risk of the individual making the decision.

A class of compounds that form complexes with specific ions and facilitate their transport across cell membranes.

An antibacterial agent produced by strains of Streptomyces lasaliensis. It is added to Bovatec and Avatec animal feeds.

A lateral flow device for the rapid detection of analytes which are indicative of pregnancy, disease or chemicals (also referred to as lateral flow immunoassay LFIA).

Denotes low and middle-income countries based on the World Bank list of analytical income classification of economies.

Administration of therapeutic doses of antimicrobials to groups of animals to prevent spread of clinical disease once some animals in the group show symptoms.

Inflammation in the wall of the uterus, common in cattle after giving birth.

Acronym (Microbiology, Indications, Narrowest spectrum, Dosage, Minimise, Ensure) for an antimicrobial stewardship prescribing creed.

An antibiotic commonly used in ruminant foodstuffs.

The intermittent performance and analysis of routine measurements and observations, aimed at detecting changes in the environment or health status of a population.

National action plan on AMR. A plan for tackling antimicrobial resistance in a country that is aligned with the Global Action Plan on AMR.

An antiprotozoal (coccidia parasites) and antibacterial agent, produced by fermentation from Streptomyces aureofaciens.

These affect (either kill or prevent from reproducing) only a small range of types of bacteria.

‘The administration of amicrobial agents to animals for any purpose other than to treat, control or prevent infectious disease.’ (OIE, 2019)

When an antimicrobial is used to treat a condition that it is not registered to treat or in a species it is not registered to treat.

The intergovernmental organisation responsible for improving the health of livestock and other animals worldwide. The acronym is derived from the original French name of the organisation, Office International des Épizooties.

A collaborative approach to healthcare and health research which recognises the interconnection between humans, animals, plants and their shared environment.

A professional in their own right, they work alongside professionals in an allied profession, e.g. paraveterinarian, paramedic. Veterinary paraprofessionals are authorised by a government veterinary statutory body to carry out designated tasks under the responsibility and direction of a veterinarian.

Capable of causing disease.

A rapid result, single-use diagnostic device used at the bed or pen, often an LFD.

Supplementary organic dietary products that promote and select for the growth of beneficial gut bacteria.

Permission in law for a veterinarian to exercise their professional judgement to prescribe unregistered or off-label antimicrobials in certain circumstances. In many countries, veterinarians must only prescribe antimicrobials that are registered for use in animals. However, this is not always possible or practical as there are few antimicrobials registered for use in certain animal species (e.g. fish) or for some uses of animals (e.g. dairy sheep). To strike a balance between legal prescribing requirements and the need to treat a wide range of conditions in animals, the laws in these countries permit the ‘prescribing cascade’.

Living microbial food supplements that are reported to improve gut health and reduce potential for opportunistic pathogen infection.

Measures designed to preserve health and prevent the spread of disease, protective or preventive treatment. For example, administration of therapeutic doses of antimicrobials to groups of animals to prevent clinical disease.

Quantitative polymerase chain reactions, known as real-time PCR, is a molecular biological technique for the amplification of specific DNA target molecules in a quantitative manner.

Any component of a system that can contain resistant bacteria or antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs).

An ionophore antibacterial drug that also has antiprotozoal activity.

A chemical identification technique for the monitoring of farmed fish.

Rapid point-of-care diagnostic enzyme immunoassay tests (asses that employ specific antibodies to detect diagnostic analytes).

Social licence to operate is the process by which the community grants (or withholds) permission for an industry to conduct its own business based on their expectations and belief systems (ethics, values, etc.).

The responsible management of something that has been put into someone’s care.

A dose of a drug that is insufficient for a clinical effect. Sub-therapeutic doses of antimicrobials kill susceptible bacteria enabling the resistant bacteria to increase in the population.

The ongoing, systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of human and/or animal health-related data essential to planning, implementation, and evaluation of public health practice. It includes dissemination of the information to those who need to know so that action can be taken.

The use of telecommunications to share pathology data and images between remote sites for diagnostic, research and educational purposes.

Use of antibiotics to treat animals showing signs of disease.

An online platform for project management and personal organisation and information/resource sharing.

A collaboration between three intergovernmental organisations, the FAO, OIE and WHO, to work together to minimise the spread of and risk of AMR.

World Health Organization critically important antimicrobials is a WHO list of antimicrobials which are most important in human medicine.

The minimum period required between the last administration of the AM and slaughter or harvest.

The World Health Organization, whose primary role is to direct international health within the United Nations’ system and to lead partners in global health response.

Those bacteria that can be transmitted directly or indirectly from animals to people.