title: Judicious use of prophylactic antimicrobials to reduce abdominal surgical site infections in periparturient cows: part 1 - a risk factor review.
abstract: Surgical site infections (SSI) are an uncommon, but significant, consequence of surgical interventions. There are very few studies investigating SSI risk in veterinary medicine, and even fewer in cattle, despite the fact that major surgeries are commonly conducted on livestock. Furthermore, the suboptimal conditions under which such surgeries are frequently performed on livestock could be considered an important risk factor for the development of SSIs. With increasing public concern over the contribution of veterinary-prescribed antimicrobials to the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in people, there is widespread scrutiny and criticism of antimicrobial use in livestock production medicine systems. While the causal link between antimicrobial resistance in livestock and people is heavily debated, it is clear that the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance, in any population, is closely correlated with the antimicrobial 'consumption' within that population. As the veterinary profession explores ways of addressing the emergence and selection of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in food-producing animals, there is a need for veterinarians and producers to carefully consider all areas of antimicrobial use, and employ an evidence-based approach in designing appropriate clinical protocols. This paper aims to review current knowledge regarding the risk factors related to abdominal SSI in periparturient cows, and to encourage practitioners to judiciously evaluate both their standard operating procedures and their use of antimicrobials in these situations. In a second paper, to be published in a subsequent issue of Veterinary Record, these principles will be used to provide specific evidence-based recommendations for antimicrobial use in bovine abdominal surgery.
authors.affiliation: Integrated Food Animal Management Systems (IFAMS), Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Dumas
authors.affiliation: Integrated Food Animal Management Systems (IFAMS), Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine.
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: French
authors.affiliation: Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine.
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Lavergne
authors.affiliation: Integrated Food Animal Management Systems (IFAMS), Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine.
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Ramirez
authors.affiliation: Agricultural Animal Care and Use Program, Department of Animal Sciences, College of Agriculture, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illnois - Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61802, USA Dr Dumas's current address is the College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA Dr H. M. French is also at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, St Kitts, West Indies.
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Agricultural Animal Care and Use Program, Department of Animal Sciences, College of Agriculture, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illnois - Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61802, USA Dr Dumas's current address is the College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA Dr H. M. French is also at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, St Kitts, West Indies.
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Bromfield
authors.affiliation: Integrated Food Animal Management Systems (IFAMS), Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine.
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Garrett
authors.affiliation: Integrated Food Animal Management Systems (IFAMS), Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine.
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: French
authors.affiliation: Integrated Food Animal Management Systems (IFAMS), Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine.
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Aldridge
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery*; D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000662:veterinary*; D002417:Cattle; D005260:Female; D058725:Peripartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents