Coyne Lucy A, Latham Sophia M, Dawson Susan, Donald Ian J, Pearson Richard B, Smith Rob F, Williams Nicola J, Pinchbeck Gina L
Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Neston, United Kingdom.
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Institute of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Neston, United Kingdom.
Front Vet Sci. 2019 Aug 2;6:257. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00257. eCollection 2019.
Increasing levels of antimicrobial resistance in human and veterinary medicine have raised concerns over the irresponsible use of antimicrobials. The role of administering antimicrobials in food producing animals most frequently falls to the farmer, therefore it is essential that their use of antimicrobials is both optimal and responsible. This study sought in-depth information on the drivers behind antimicrobial use behaviors and farmer attitudes to responsible use using a mixed-methodological approach. Initially, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposively selected sample of farmers ( = 22). A thematic analysis approach was taken to identify key themes from these qualitative data. The generalizability and variation of these themes was then tested on a larger randomly selected sample of pig farmers through a questionnaire study ( = 261). The influences behind antimicrobial use were complex with multiple drivers motivating decisions. There was no consensual opinion on what farming systems resulted in either a low or high antimicrobial requirement however, farmers reported that good management practices, low stocking densities, and a high health status were associated with low antimicrobial use. Farmers expressed desire to avoid the long-term use of in-feed antimicrobials, but identified barriers to discontinuing such behaviors, such as pig morbidity, mortality, and economic losses. The high cost of antimicrobials was described as a motivation toward seeking alternative methods of controlling disease to prophylactic use; however, this expense was balanced against the losses from an increased burden of disease. The high financial costs involved in pig production alongside the economic uncertainty of production and pressure from retailers, were identified as limiting the scope for improvements in pig accommodation and facilities which could reduce the antimicrobial requirements on farm. Long-term, sustainable and economically stable relationships between retailers and farmers may allow farmers to make necessary investments in improving management and housing in order to reduce antimicrobial use. Greater use and more widespread deployment of effective vaccinations were highlighted by farmers as being a feasible alternative to antimicrobial use in preventing disease.
人类医学和兽医学中抗菌药物耐药性水平的不断提高引发了人们对抗菌药物滥用问题的担忧。在食用动物中使用抗菌药物的职责通常由养殖户承担，因此确保他们合理、恰当地使用抗菌药物至关重要。本研究采用混合方法，深入探究了抗菌药物使用行为背后的驱动因素以及养殖户对合理使用抗菌药物的态度。首先，对经过有目的挑选的22名养殖户进行了深入的半结构化访谈。采用主题分析方法从这些定性数据中识别关键主题。然后，通过问卷调查对随机抽取的261名养猪户进行了更大规模的抽样调查，以检验这些主题的普遍性和变异性。抗菌药物使用背后的影响因素很复杂，多种驱动因素影响着使用决策。对于哪种养殖系统导致抗菌药物需求低或高，并没有达成共识，不过养殖户表示，良好的管理措施、低饲养密度和高健康状况与低抗菌药物使用有关。养殖户表示希望避免长期在饲料中添加抗菌药物，但也指出了停止此类行为的障碍，如猪的发病率、死亡率和经济损失。抗菌药物的高成本被认为是促使寻求替代预防性使用抗菌药物来控制疾病方法的一个因素；然而，这一成本与疾病负担增加造成的损失相权衡。养猪生产的高财务成本，以及生产的经济不确定性和零售商的压力，被认为限制了改善猪舍和设施的范围，而这些改善本可以降低养殖场的抗菌药物需求。零售商和养殖户之间长期、可持续且经济稳定关系，可能会使养殖户有必要投资改善管理和养殖环境，以减少抗菌药物的使用。养殖户强调，更广泛地使用和更普遍地部署有效的疫苗接种是预防疾病中抗菌药物使用的可行替代方法。
