Pell Christopher, Wagner René, Ewers Christa, Schultsz Constance, Homeier-Bachmann Timo, Heydel Carsten, van Leth Frank, Menge Christian
Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Amsterdam UMC, location University of Amsterdam, Department of Global Health Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
One Health. 2025 May 12;20:101072. doi: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101072. eCollection 2025 Jun.
Bacterial pathogens exhibiting antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are a health threat for humans, companion animals and livestock. Surveillance underpins appropriate AMR responses, but can be biased or expensive. Surveillance using Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) has shown promise in human health settings; more evidence on its applicability and acceptability in livestock populations is needed. Drawing on in-depth interviews, this article examines stakeholder perspectives on LQAS for AMR surveillance in livestock in Germany.
Twenty-five stakeholders were interviewed. They included employees of German universities, research institutes, Federal animal health services / veterinary laboratories, animal producer associations, and veterinarians. Detailed notes of online interviews were analyzed using a framework approach.
Respondents were concerned about AMR in livestock and also about restrictions on antibiotic treatment options. They described the multifaceted, legally prescribed data gathering for farmers to monitor antibiotic consumption and the widespread use of antibiograms to guide treatment in Germany. Respondents saw potential benefits of LQAS for AMR surveillance, in terms of reducing the sample sizes and the need for antibiotic susceptibility tests, but there were questions about surveilling commensal bacteria, with concerns about it leading to further restrictions on antibiotic consumption and driving food production overseas.
An LQAS approach to AMR surveillance requires locally responsive guidance to alleviate concerns about further restriction of treatment options (and about animal welfare). Given existing data collection, recording and reporting burden for farmers and veterinarians, early engagement is needed to agree the rationale and benefits of LQAS, particularly if surveilling resistance in commensal bacteria is considered.
表现出抗菌药物耐药性（AMR）的细菌病原体对人类、伴侣动物和家畜构成健康威胁。监测是采取适当AMR应对措施的基础，但可能存在偏差或成本高昂。使用批质量保证抽样（LQAS）进行监测已在人类健康领域显示出前景；需要更多关于其在牲畜群体中的适用性和可接受性的证据。本文通过深入访谈，探讨了德国利益相关者对用于牲畜AMR监测的LQAS的看法。
采访了25名利益相关者。他们包括德国大学、研究机构、联邦动物卫生服务/兽医实验室的员工、动物生产者协会和兽医。使用框架方法对在线访谈的详细记录进行了分析。
受访者既关注牲畜中的AMR，也关注抗生素治疗选择的限制。他们描述了德国农民为监测抗生素消费而进行的多方面、法定的数据收集，以及广泛使用抗菌谱来指导治疗。受访者认为LQAS在AMR监测方面有潜在好处，比如可以减少样本量和对抗生素敏感性测试的需求，但对于监测共生细菌存在疑问，担心这会导致对抗生素消费的进一步限制，并将食品生产推向海外。
采用LQAS方法进行AMR监测需要因地制宜的指导，以缓解对治疗选择进一步受限（以及动物福利）的担忧。鉴于农民和兽医现有的数据收集、记录和报告负担，需要尽早参与，以就LQAS的基本原理和好处达成一致，特别是在考虑监测共生细菌的耐药性时。
