4.2 AMU data

AMU is the quantity of antimicrobial drugs prescribed or administered to an individual person or animal, or group of animals (such as a herd or flock), measured at the level of healthcare facility, farm, region or country and typically measured as kg of antibiotics. Data on the use of antimicrobials is required, for example, to be able to estimate the effects of AMU on prevalence of resistant pathogens in animals or to monitor the impact of policies on AMU/trade. However, inconsistent data collection makes comparisons over time or between different countries difficult.

Ideally, AMU data collected at the farm level should report:

  • the exact dose of active antimicrobial administered
  • the number of animals that receive it
  • exact reasons for administration, as described in Section 1.3.

Instead, the information usually available is antimicrobial consumption (AMC) based on sales or imports data, as defined in Section 1.1.

The OIE is coordinating efforts to harmonise data collection on the quantities of antimicrobial agents intended for use in animals. Currently this approach measures AMC, but the OIE aims to capture AMU data in future. The OIE produces a yearly report based on data supplied by country members; the latest report shows data from 2014 to 2016 [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] .

Figure 16 shows an example of AMU data reported in pig production in Thailand and Vietnam. The data was obtained as part of a study investigating the use of antimicrobials in pigs, poultry and aquaculture production systems.

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Figure 16 AMU in pig production in Thailand and Vietnam (Coyne et al., 2019). *Antimicrobial class is classified by the WHO as the highest priority critically important antimicrobial (HP-CIA).
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A bar chart showing Thailand in pink and Vietnam in yellow. The x-axis is marked with different categories of antibiotic such as penicillins and colistin. There is a bar for each country for each antibiotic. The y-axis is labelled ‘Percentage of reported antimicrobial usages by antimicrobial class or active ingredient’ and is marked from 0 to 35 in intervals of five.

Figure 16 AMU in pig production in Thailand and Vietnam (Coyne et al., 2019). *Antimicrobial class is classified by the WHO as the ...

Activity 7: Interpreting usage data

Timing: Allow about 15 minutes

Use Figure 16 to answer the following questions:

  1. Which type of active ingredient was used most commonly and least commonly in each country?
  2. How could this information play a part in tackling the AMR crisis?

Answer

  1. Penicillins were most commonly used in both settings (approximately 28% of reported usage in Thailand and 18% in Vietnam).

    Lincosamides (e.g. clindamycin) and phenicols (e.g. chloramphenicol) were least commonly used in Thailand (both approximately 2% of reported usage).

    Lincosamides and pleuromutilins were least commonly used in Vietnam (both approximately 2% of reported usage).

  2. There are many possible answers, but key points are:

    • as a baseline to monitor AMU over time (for example, annually), which would allow the impact of reduction strategies to be analysed
    • to set appropriate targets for reduced use of different types of antimicrobials
    • to target educational programmes around commonly used antimicrobials to effectively reduce use
    • reducing selection pressure by antimicrobials on bacteria should reduce the prevalence of resistant bacteria over time
    • lower prevalence of antimicrobial resistance will reduce the consequences of AMR (as discussed in Section 3) seen in the country.

4.1 Monitoring and surveillance of AMU/AMR

4.3 Data on resistant bacteria