Alzuheir Ibrahim M, Fayyad Adnan, Thabet Ahmed
Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture Engineering, An-Najah National University, P.O. Box 7, Nablus, Palestine.
Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Gaza Strip, Palestine.
BMC Vet Res. 2025 May 19;21(1):356. doi: 10.1186/s12917-025-04826-5.
Antimicrobial use (AMU) by veterinarians is crucial for animal health management worldwide. Its extensive and improper use with insufficient monitoring has raised concerns about antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Veterinarians' opinions on antimicrobial agents and AMR are crucial in shaping their prescription practices. Understanding these opinions and practices is essential for mitigating the impact of AMR. Therefore, a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the antimicrobial prescription practices and antimicrobial knowledge of veterinarians in Palestine. Descriptive and statistical analyses were performed at a confidence interval of 95%.
A survey targeting 358 veterinarians in Palestine received 104 responses (29.1%). The majority of respondents were male (92.3%) and aged 31-40 (47.1%) or under 30 (42.3%). Most practiced in Hebron (31.7%), while others practiced in Jenin (14.4%), Tulkarm (11.5%), and Nablus (11.5%). The practices mainly included mixed practices (48.1%), farm animals (26.0%), and small animals (13.5%). Training on antimicrobial agents was primarily in English (93.3%), lasting five years (91.3%), with 40.4% having multiple course emphases in nonclinical years and 46.2% in clinical years. Only 57.7% had no additional degrees, but 54.8% attended training courses or conferences. Most veterinarians (64.4%) felt that they did not overprescribe antimicrobial agents, although 41.3% used them in 41-60% of cases. Clinical signs were relied upon for prescriptions by 85.6%, but only 39.4% had access to laboratory facilities for antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Most respondents (76.0%) acknowledged antimicrobial misuse, and 71.2% felt there was inadequate supervision of AMU. AMR was seen as a serious issue by 99.0%, with improper prescription habits cited as a major cause (81.7%). Recommendations to combat resistance included conducting sensitivity tests, enhancing veterinary oversight, promoting biosecurity, and enforcing stricter regulations on antimicrobial sales and use.
This study provides valuable insights into the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of veterinarians in Palestine regarding AMU and AMR. The study underscored gaps in oversight, with many respondents feeling that there was inadequate supervision of AMU in veterinary practice. The findings highlight the need for enhanced training, stricter regulations, and improved monitoring to mitigate the risks of AMR effectively. By implementing these recommendations, it is possible to promote responsible AMU, safeguard public health, and ensure the continued effectiveness of antimicrobial agents for future generations. Addressing these challenges will require a concerted effort from all stakeholders to create a robust framework for antimicrobial stewardship in veterinary practice.
兽医使用抗菌药物对于全球动物健康管理至关重要。其广泛且不当的使用以及监测不足引发了对抗菌药物耐药性（AMR）的担忧。兽医对抗菌药物和抗菌药物耐药性的看法对于形成他们的处方行为至关重要。了解这些看法和行为对于减轻抗菌药物耐药性的影响至关重要。因此，开展了一项基于问卷调查的横断面研究，以调查巴勒斯坦兽医的抗菌药物处方行为和抗菌药物知识。在95%的置信区间进行描述性和统计分析。
针对巴勒斯坦358名兽医的一项调查收到了104份回复（29.1%）。大多数受访者为男性（92.3%），年龄在31 - 40岁（47.1%）或30岁以下（42.3%）。大多数人在希伯伦执业（31.7%），其他人在杰宁（14.4%）、图勒凯尔姆（11.5%）和纳布卢斯（11.5%）执业。执业类型主要包括综合执业（48.1%）、农场动物（26.0%）和小动物（13.5%）。关于抗菌药物的培训主要用英语进行（93.3%），持续五年（91.3%），40.4%在非临床年份有多个课程重点，46.2%在临床年份有多个课程重点。只有57.7%没有其他学位，但54.8%参加过培训课程或会议。大多数兽医（64.4%）认为他们没有过度开具抗菌药物，尽管41.3%在41% - 60%的病例中使用了抗菌药物。85.6%的人根据临床症状开处方，但只有39.4%能够使用实验室设施进行抗菌药物敏感性测试。大多数受访者（76.0%）承认存在抗菌药物滥用情况，71.2%认为对抗菌药物使用的监管不足。99.0%的人认为抗菌药物耐药性是一个严重问题，81.7%的人认为不当的处方习惯是主要原因。对抗耐药性的建议包括进行敏感性测试、加强兽医监督、促进生物安全以及对抗菌药物销售和使用实施更严格的规定。
本研究为巴勒斯坦兽医在抗菌药物使用和抗菌药物耐药性方面的知识、态度和行为提供了有价值的见解。该研究强调了监管方面的差距，许多受访者认为兽医实践中对抗菌药物使用的监管不足。研究结果凸显了加强培训、制定更严格的规定以及改善监测以有效降低抗菌药物耐药性风险的必要性。通过实施这些建议，有可能促进负责任的抗菌药物使用，保障公众健康，并确保抗菌药物对后代持续有效。应对这些挑战需要所有利益相关者共同努力，为兽医实践中的抗菌药物管理创建一个强大的框架。
