The Use of Antibiograms in Companion Animal Practice to Support Antimicrobial Stewardship

Presentation Description / Summary:
Decision-making about antimicrobial therapy for bacterial infections in companion animals is based on available history, physical exam and diagnostic test results for patients as well as prescribing guidelines while awaiting antimicrobial susceptibility test (AST) results. During the time between sample collection and receiving culture and AST results, cumulative antibiograms can provide complementary information to aid clinician decision-making. Cumulative antibiograms are a compilation of AST results from individual isolates of a bacterial species (e.g., Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus pseudintermedius) and are presented as the percent of isolates that are susceptible to each antimicrobial drug routinely tested. During this session we will review the importance of species-specific and body-specific breakpoints for interpreting AST results and relate this to new updates on interpretations for common bacteria observed in dogs and cats. Participants will learn the necessary components and process that guides construction of an antibiogram appropriate for their patient population. Finally, through example antibiograms from specialty and primary care practices, we will explore how antibiograms can aide veterinarians in choosing antimicrobial drugs while discussing their limitations.
Learner Outcomes
1. Discuss the importance of species-specific and body-site specific breakpoints in interpretation of antimicrobial susceptibility test reports and antibiograms.
2. Outline the components and decision-making process in constructing a veterinary hospital antibiogram.
3. Describe the utility and limitations of antibiograms in making empirical decisions about antimicrobial drugs