Antibiotic prescription practices amongst veterinarians in Nigeria

Publication summary

Domesticated animals, in addition to some being kept as companion animals, are important sources of protein and income to people in both developed and developing countries. Nigeria has a large human population with a fast growth rate and a need for improved food animal production to meet consumption demand. While veterinary services exist in Nigeria, their coverage is limited despite reports that the country is amongst the top 50 consumers of antibiotics in food animals and has a high antibiotic resistance burden. There is a need in Nigeria for better coverage by veterinary personnel to ensure the proper and adequate use of antibiotics in animals. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to survey antibiotic prescription practices of veterinarians and the possible contribution to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) in Nigeria during the COVID era.

Who this is for

• Veterinarians
• Antibiotic use policy makers in both the government and private practice

Key Findings

• A total of 172 respondents completed the 33-question survey with the majority of those being in mixed veterinary practice (72.1%) followed by poultry practice (9.9%). 
• Slightly over half (53.5%) of respondents said that they were aware of the country’s policy concerning antibiotic prescription and 54.7% indicated that their practice has a policy concerning antibiotic prescription.
• Survey responses suggest that the odds of compliance with antimicrobial prescription policies was 5.9 times higher amongst veterinarians who had veterinary practices that followed prescription policies as against those whose practices did not.
• A total of 36% of respondents indicated that there was much emphasis on antibiotics during the non-clinical years of their veterinary education, while this emphasis increased to 54.1% in clinical years indicating an increase in the AMR training focus as they progressed in their education.
• The majority (65.7%) of veterinarians received information regarding antimicrobials and their use from continuing professional courses and textbook/drug handbook, followed by pharmaceutical companies (27.3%), while practice policy was only 19.2%. 
• The cost of antibiotics, potential adverse drug reactions, and relying on clinical signs and symptoms to inform antibiotic prescription were amongst factors that influenced the reported prescription practice of veterinarians in this study.
• While the majority (64.5%) of respondents reported that they do not do culture and sensitivity before antibiotic prescription, about 57% of respondents either strongly agreed or agreed on the need to rely on laboratory test results before prescription of antibiotics.
• The authors conclude that to help improve antibiotic use and stewardship amongst veterinarians in Nigeria, efforts should be scaled up for dependence on laboratory services for antibiotic prescription, enforcement of national guidelines on antibiotic prescription practice, and awareness and education campaigns about AMR and AMS by the government and monitoring of antibiotic prescription amongst veterinarians.