Knowledge, attitude and practice towards antibiotic use and resistance among the veterinarians in Bangladesh

Background The emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is growing public health concern around the world. When a number of studies have emphasized the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) regarding antibiotic use and resistance in humans, little attention has been paid to the veterinary sector. The aim of this study was to understand the KAP towards antibiotic use and resistance among the veterinarians in Bangladesh. Methods A cross-sectional online based questionnaire survey was conducted from August to September 2020 among the registered veterinary practitioners. A self-administered Google form questionnaire consists of 46 questions on knowledge, attitude and practice regarding antibiotic use and their resistance. Results A total of 208 registered veterinarians participated in this study. 85.1% of the participants were male and 55% of the participants had a Masters degree. Around 50% of the veterinarians were poultry practitioners. All respondents were familiar with antimicrobials. 91.35% of the participants knew that antibiotics can not cure viral infections while 97.6% believed that frequent antibiotic prescription rendered them less effective. Participants claimed that only they are eligible to prescribe drugs for the treatment of animals. Of the total participants, 87.02% believed that a local antimicrobial guideline would be more effective than an international one while around 80% disagreed with adding antibiotics with feed/water as a growth promoter in livestock. However, gaps in practices were highlighted, suggesting training deficiencies. Conclusion The study for the first time conducted in Bangladesh dictates the future interventions like courses, workshops, and seminars on antibiotic usage and resistance are needed to ameliorate the awareness and change the behavior of veterinarians with regards to the rational use of antibiotics while also considering individual motivations and justifications for using antibiotics.