Prototype Reporting and Veterinarian and Animal Owner Educational Materials for Cases of Antimicrobial Resistant Bacteria of Public Health Importance in Companion Animals

Project Summary Prototype Reporting and Veterinarian and Animal Owner Educational Materials forCases of Antimicrobial Resistant Bacteria of Public Health Importance in CompanionAnimals Companion animals uniquely share their living environment with their owners. Bothdirect and environmental zoonotic transmission, as well as reverse zoonotic transmission, ofantimicrobial resistant (AMR) bacterial pathogens can occur between animals and owners.Approaches and tools within the veterinarian-client-patient relationship are needed forveterinarians to respond to AMR bacteria of public health importance in companion animals andexercise antimicrobial drug stewardship in veterinary medicine. Veterinarians also need to beequipped with materials for educating owners about the risks and proper public healthinformation sources. In this project, education booklets will be developed for both theveterinarian and the owner of the companion animal diagnosed with a targeted AMR pathogen.The brochure design will built on related experiences in hospital associated infection control inpublic health settings. Veterinary diagnostic laboratories can uniquely serve as a source ofeducational materials for veterinarians and animal owners, and a source of data on AMR incompanion animals for public health authorities in individual U.S. states. In this project, a bestpractice protocol will be developed for optimal storage of AMR isolates within a laboratory forfuture epidemiologic tracing and outbreak investigation, optimal methods for internal laboratoryrecording and addressing of AMR isolates, and logistical case-reporting to state public healthauthorities. The protocols will be designed to fit within the constraints of client confidentialityand business operation of a veterinary diagnostic laboratory. The education booklets andprotocols will be developed for cases of each carbapenem resistant Enterobacteriaceae,carbapenem resistant Pseudomonas spp., and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) in companion dogs, cats, and horses. Two of the U.S. Veterinary LaboratoryInvestigation and Response Network (Vet-LIRN) laboratories will work together to accomplishthe project objectives.