Antimicrobial stewardship in veterinary practice: A review

The development and widespread use of antimicrobial agents has been among the most important public health interventions in the last century. Antimicrobial stewardship involves the judicious use of antimicrobials balanced against the requirement to treat the presenting clinical condition. This brief review will focus on available resources for animal practitioners, emerging perspectives on antimicrobial use and stewardship, and opportunities for more effective antimicrobial use in equine practice. There is a need for improved prescribers’ education, availability of faster and more accurate techniques for identification and sensitivity testing of bacterial pathogens, and the development of novel agents. Livestock production, particularly the dairy sector, is important for food and nutritional wellbeing of communities in India, supporting livelihoods of many farmers, and contributing to the economy of the country. India is a high consumer of antibiotics, and therefore, antimicrobial resistant (AMR) bacteria are a major public health concern. The identified knowledge gaps of veterinary medical students on antimicrobial stewardship must be bridged to safeguard the future. Interventions that address AMR from the animal health perspective should be promoted, and incentives to increase their adoption explored.