Argument for Shorter Antibiotic Courses ‘Moving the Bar’ in AMR Fight
Scott Weese, director of the Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses and head of infection control at the Ontario Veterinary College’s Health Sciences Centre, continues to challenge long-held ideas about antibiotic treatment durations. He believes his efforts are gradually shifting opinions in the veterinary world.
“I’d buy a beer for anyone who can explain why shortening a course of antibiotics could increase resistance,” said Professor Weese during the BEVA Congress earlier this year.
Weese noted in the Vet Times Podcast that, to date, no one has presented a convincing argument showing that shorter antibiotic use leads to higher antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
“I haven’t had anyone come at me with a plausible mechanism,” he said. “I’d be surprised if they could, but I’ve had a lot of people think about it and say, ‘Okay, that does make sense’. They might not be fully convinced yet, but I think we’re moving the bar a bit.”
He jokingly added that he remains confident he will not have to buy anyone that beer.
Ian Battersby, former AMR expert and pharmaceutical stewardship lead at Mars Veterinary Health, joined the discussion and expressed complete agreement with Weese’s perspective.
Author’s Summary
Professor Scott Weese argues that shorter antibiotic regimens may not worsen drug resistance, and his ideas are gradually influencing practices in veterinary medicine.