BEVA Transforms MonitorME Platform To Make Participation Easier
2 months ago 
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New analysis platform helps equine practices track annual antibiotic use, while strengthening the profession’s evidence base for responsible prescribing.
BEVA’s MonitorME initiative has undergone a major transformation, making it easier than ever for equine practices to contribute to national annual antibiotic usage surveillance and see how their own prescribing compares with the wider equine veterinary profession.
MonitorME was originally launched under the leadership of BEVA’s Immediate Past-President Bruce Bladon, to build a clearer picture of antibiotic use across UK equine practice. Veterinary epidemiologist John Grewar, one of the collaborators of the Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance (EIDS) REIN In AMR platform, has now helped bring a similarly structured approach to MonitorME.
The new platform allows practices to view and interrogate their usage data benchmarked against previous years, as well as the national average, with the ease of their own dashboard.
Data can be uploaded directly through the dashboard, or practices can continue to submit their data to BEVA in the format they have used previously, if preferred.
A special mention goes to the Equine Veterinary Surveillance Network (EVSNET), which is a national initiative for the UK equine population, led by the University of Liverpool, who have contributed data from multiple practices.
Building the evidence for responsible antimicrobial use
Monitoring antimicrobial use across the equine sector is vital. Reliable national data provides evidence of where improvements can be made at practice level, while also demonstrating the positive work already being undertaken across the profession to promote antimicrobial stewardship.
The MonitorME dataset is helping to provide the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) with the evidence it needs to understand antimicrobial use in equine practice and support continued access to medicines that are vital for equine health and welfare.
The latest MonitorME report demonstrates the value of this approach. With data available for 140,000 horses, and for 16% of the total tonnage of sales of equine licensed potentiated sulphonamides (used as a proxy for the whole equine antibiotic market), there has been a 3% reduction of antibiotic usage, on top of the 4% reduction last year. The ‘average’ horse in the UK received a daily dose of antibiotics on 1.178 days (Defined Daily Dose/horse/year).
"This encouraging news has to be set against the substantial (28%) increase in the use of Highest Priority Critically Important Antibiotics (HPCIAs)," said Bruce Bladon. "HPCIAs account for only 10% of total equine antibiotic use, but the direction of travel warrants attention. Ceftiofur and fluoroquinolone use grew at a similar rate, though because fluoroquinolone use is more than twice as high, it accounts for most of the increase in absolute terms. The reason for the increase is unclear and will need further investigation. Several factors may be in play: fluoroquinolones are convenient, with oral and intravenous preparations, relatively inexpensive and, as yet, very effective. Ceftiofur is more expensive but has the advantage of being licensed for horses."
A simple way to contribute
The upgraded MonitorME platform is designed to make participation as straightforward as possible. Practices can register to access their own dashboard and upload data directly or continue to submit their spreadsheets to BEVA.
The data is analysed and collated into annual national reports, which are published on the BEVA MonitorME webpage. Data collection remains open throughout the year, so practices can submit their information when it is ready.
Bruce Bladon originally launched MonitorME with a clear message: the profession needs to demonstrate that it is using antibiotics responsibly and proportionately if it is to protect continued access to these vital medicines.
“That message remains just as relevant today,” said Bruce. “If you haven't yet contributed to MonitorME, now is a great time to get involved. By submitting your practice data, you can benchmark your own antibiotic use, help identify opportunities for improvement and contribute to the evidence base supporting responsible antimicrobial stewardship across UK equine practice. We are grateful to the VMD for funding the work.”
The new MonitorME Platform can be found online here .
Several BEVA Congress sessions will cover antimicrobial use:
- Checklist and antimicrobial guidelines - Lucciana Recchi Fri 11.30
- Beyond gut feelings: Building better care and promoting equine welfare from practice-based data - Tim Mair Fri 14.05
- Equine antimicrobial resistance surveillance - Charlotte Barber Sat 12.12
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