Assessment of Antimicrobial Use for Companion Animals in South Korea: Developing Defined Daily Doses and Investigating Veterinarians’ Perception of AMR

There are global concerns regarding the transmission of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens from animals to humans. Especially, companion animals are increasingly recognized as a potential source due to their close interactions with people, despite a limited number of reported cases. Although, social...

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Main Authors: Sun-Min Kim, Heyong-Seok Kim, Jong-Won Kim, Kyung-Duk Min
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Animals
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/2/260
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author Sun-Min Kim
Heyong-Seok Kim
Jong-Won Kim
Kyung-Duk Min
author_facet Sun-Min Kim
Heyong-Seok Kim
Jong-Won Kim
Kyung-Duk Min
author_sort Sun-Min Kim
collection DOAJ
description There are global concerns regarding the transmission of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens from animals to humans. Especially, companion animals are increasingly recognized as a potential source due to their close interactions with people, despite a limited number of reported cases. Although, social demands regarding comprehensive surveillance for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among companion animals are highlighted, there is a lack of a relevant system in South Korea. In this regard, we conducted preliminary investigation on antimicrobial use (AMU) among small animal clinics, along with veterinary practitioner’s knowledge and attitude regarding this issue in South Korea. We collected data on 684,153 antimicrobial prescription visits for canine and feline patients from 2019 to 2022 at 100 veterinary facilities in South Korea, using electronic medical records. To evaluate antimicrobial use (AMU) and facilitate comparisons across institutions and time periods, we developed the Defined Daily Dose for Animals (DDDA) and the Defined Animal Daily Dosages per 1000 Animal-Days (DAPD). In addition, we conducted an online survey of 362 veterinary practitioners, which included questions on their perceptions, attitudes, and practices regarding antimicrobial prescriptions. Simple frequency analyses were performed to examine temporal trends, regional differences and variations by facility size in AMU, and to summarize survey responses. Descriptive analysis using data from 100 veterinary clinics revealed a rising trend in AMU between 2019 and 2022, with higher usage observed in larger clinics and non-capital regions. DDDA values for dogs were generally higher than for cats. Survey results highlighted that, while veterinarians exhibited high awareness of AMR, prescribing practices were significantly influenced by clinical judgments and owner demands, often deviating from established guidelines. The adoption of an electronic veterinary prescription management system (e-Vet) was proposed to enhance antimicrobial stewardship. However, concerns regarding the system’s efficiency and administrative burden were prominent. To our best knowledge, this study provided DDDA for companion animals for the first time in South Korea. Although the indicator should be improved with more comprehensive data and expert opinion, our study showed that it enables reasonable situation analysis regarding AMU in companion animals. The identified factors that affect veterinarians’ prescription practices can also be used to design an effective strategy for promoting appropriate antimicrobial usage.
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spelling doaj-art-e94314702a8a4bb794e0ba8292aeba4a2025-01-24T13:18:19ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152025-01-0115226010.3390/ani15020260Assessment of Antimicrobial Use for Companion Animals in South Korea: Developing Defined Daily Doses and Investigating Veterinarians’ Perception of AMRSun-Min Kim0Heyong-Seok Kim1Jong-Won Kim2Kyung-Duk Min3Laboratory of Veterinary Epidemiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Republic of KoreaPetobio Inc., Hanam 12982, Republic of KoreaPetobio Inc., Hanam 12982, Republic of KoreaLaboratory of Veterinary Epidemiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Republic of KoreaThere are global concerns regarding the transmission of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens from animals to humans. Especially, companion animals are increasingly recognized as a potential source due to their close interactions with people, despite a limited number of reported cases. Although, social demands regarding comprehensive surveillance for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among companion animals are highlighted, there is a lack of a relevant system in South Korea. In this regard, we conducted preliminary investigation on antimicrobial use (AMU) among small animal clinics, along with veterinary practitioner’s knowledge and attitude regarding this issue in South Korea. We collected data on 684,153 antimicrobial prescription visits for canine and feline patients from 2019 to 2022 at 100 veterinary facilities in South Korea, using electronic medical records. To evaluate antimicrobial use (AMU) and facilitate comparisons across institutions and time periods, we developed the Defined Daily Dose for Animals (DDDA) and the Defined Animal Daily Dosages per 1000 Animal-Days (DAPD). In addition, we conducted an online survey of 362 veterinary practitioners, which included questions on their perceptions, attitudes, and practices regarding antimicrobial prescriptions. Simple frequency analyses were performed to examine temporal trends, regional differences and variations by facility size in AMU, and to summarize survey responses. Descriptive analysis using data from 100 veterinary clinics revealed a rising trend in AMU between 2019 and 2022, with higher usage observed in larger clinics and non-capital regions. DDDA values for dogs were generally higher than for cats. Survey results highlighted that, while veterinarians exhibited high awareness of AMR, prescribing practices were significantly influenced by clinical judgments and owner demands, often deviating from established guidelines. The adoption of an electronic veterinary prescription management system (e-Vet) was proposed to enhance antimicrobial stewardship. However, concerns regarding the system’s efficiency and administrative burden were prominent. To our best knowledge, this study provided DDDA for companion animals for the first time in South Korea. Although the indicator should be improved with more comprehensive data and expert opinion, our study showed that it enables reasonable situation analysis regarding AMU in companion animals. The identified factors that affect veterinarians’ prescription practices can also be used to design an effective strategy for promoting appropriate antimicrobial usage.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/2/260one healthantimicrobial usedefined daily dose for animalperceptionveterinarians
spellingShingle Sun-Min Kim
Heyong-Seok Kim
Jong-Won Kim
Kyung-Duk Min
Assessment of Antimicrobial Use for Companion Animals in South Korea: Developing Defined Daily Doses and Investigating Veterinarians’ Perception of AMR
Animals
one health
antimicrobial use
defined daily dose for animal
perception
veterinarians
title Assessment of Antimicrobial Use for Companion Animals in South Korea: Developing Defined Daily Doses and Investigating Veterinarians’ Perception of AMR
title_full Assessment of Antimicrobial Use for Companion Animals in South Korea: Developing Defined Daily Doses and Investigating Veterinarians’ Perception of AMR
title_fullStr Assessment of Antimicrobial Use for Companion Animals in South Korea: Developing Defined Daily Doses and Investigating Veterinarians’ Perception of AMR
title_full_unstemmed Assessment of Antimicrobial Use for Companion Animals in South Korea: Developing Defined Daily Doses and Investigating Veterinarians’ Perception of AMR
title_short Assessment of Antimicrobial Use for Companion Animals in South Korea: Developing Defined Daily Doses and Investigating Veterinarians’ Perception of AMR
title_sort assessment of antimicrobial use for companion animals in south korea developing defined daily doses and investigating veterinarians perception of amr
topic one health
antimicrobial use
defined daily dose for animal
perception
veterinarians
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/2/260
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