Perception of poultry veterinarians on the use of antimicrobials and antimicrobial resistance in egg production

This study aimed to describe the perception of veterinarians who work with commercial laying hens in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, regarding the use of antibiotics and their possible impacts on animal, human, and environmental health. A descriptive epidemiological study was carried out through face-to-face or web conferencing interviews with the veterinarians that provide technical assistance at commercial laying hen operations. A standardized and structured questionnaire was developed based on the literature and expert opinion, which contained 1 opened and 40 closed questions. Conventional non-probabilistic sampling was used, based on an initial list of 15 veterinarians registered in the Poultry Production Association of Rio Grande do Sul, followed by the snowball technique. The acquisition of 26 contacts of veterinarians was accomplished, and 16 were interviewed. Through the answers obtained it was possible to verify that the interviewees' understanding regarding both the antibiotic resistance impact and the decision-making about the use of antibiotics seem to be linked to their practical experiences. Besides that, according to the veterinarians, farmers can acquire and administer the antimicrobials on their farms. Moreover, both farm storage and administration of lower doses of antibiotics than the recommended one could be contributing factors to resistant bacteria selection. Furthermore, controversially, the professionals believed that resistant bacteria can be transmitted to humans from eggs, but they said that there are no bacteria in eggs. Therefore, the veterinarians´ practices can be improved considering national and international guidelines on antimicrobial resistance to minimize the development of resistance. Finally, it is expected that the present results will contribute to a more complex discussion about antimicrobial resistance, helping to formulate public policies in the egg production industry.