ENOVAT

The global antimicrobial resistance crisis has been the driver of several international strategies on antimicrobial stewardship. Despite their good intentions, such broad strategies are only slowly being implemented into “real life”. This is particularly unfortunate for veterinary medicine, which is challenged by (i) a shortage of experts in key disciplines related to antimicrobial stewardship, (ii) few antimicrobial treatment guidelines, and (iii) inferior diagnostic tests compared to human microbiology. The aim of this Action is to optimize veterinary antimicrobial use with special emphasis on the development of antimicrobial treatment guidelines and refinement of microbiological diagnostic procedures. For this purpose, the Action will first survey the state-of-the-art in terms of microbiological diagnostic practices and veterinary treatment guidelines across Europe. Secondly, tools in the form of an extensive European strain database and a standard for making antimicrobial treatment guidelines will be created. Third, Action Participants will exploit these tools for the development and refinement of microbiological methods and European treatment guidelines. Finally, the surveys, tools, diagnostic methods, and treatment guidelines will be disseminated to national and international stakeholders. Furthermore, the Action will recommend priority research areas for future optimization of antimicrobial treatment in animals, and develop a roadmap outlining how European countries can advance towards a common high level of veterinary antimicrobial stewardship. The planned investigations and the educational activities will raise the critical mass of expertise in veterinary antimicrobial stewardship in Europe, especially in less resourceful countries and among Early Career Investigators.