EpiFAMU: an epidemiological tool for monitoring farm-level factors essential to antimicrobial use surveillance and infection prevention and control programs in poultry production systems in Zambia—development and application
4 affiliations
- 1Department of Disease Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
- 2Institute of Biometry, Epidemiology, and Information Processing, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
- 3Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Lusaka, Zambia
- 4Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
Abstract
In recent years, Zambia and other countries have intensified their efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In the animal health sector, farm characteristics significantly affect AMR dynamics through antimicrobial use (AMU). In this regard, monitoring these farm factors remains essential for providing insights into the relation between AMU and AMR. Previously, we have shown the feasibility of monitoring AMU at the farm level using the Veterinary Consumption of Antibiotics - International Documentation (VetCAb-ID) system (©TiHo Hannover, Germany). In this study, we describe the development and application of EpiFAMU, a tool designed to monitor factors essential to AMU and infection prevention and control at the farm level. This epidemiological tool can monitor a series of distinct epidemiological variables across 13 key domains of poultry management, namely nutrition, vaccination, biosecurity, brooding, housing, equipment, personnel, market practices, extension services, AMR, AMU, mortality rates, and public health. We utilized EpiFAMU to assess AMU factor patterns in 45 broiler chicken farms in the Lusaka district of Zambia. Using the Wilcoxon test, an analysis of treatment frequency per day and farm factors revealed statistical significance for six variables: the belief that maximum production cannot be achieved without antimicrobials (p = 0.0393), the number of drinking water dispensing points (p = 0.0242), vitamin supplementation (p = 0.0328), vitamin administration prior to vaccination (p = 0.0094), measures to improve chick survival (p = 0.0324), and litter thickness (p = 0.035). Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of monitoring farm factors alongside AMU monitoring programs to generate valuable insights into potential risk factors within poultry farms that may lead to the use of antimicrobials.
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BibTeX
@article{silwamba2026epifamu,
title = {{EpiFAMU: an epidemiological tool for monitoring farm-level factors essential to antimicrobial use surveillance and infection prevention and control programs in poultry production systems in Zambia—development and application}},
author = {Isaac Silwamba and Alina Kirse and Geoffrey Mainda and Ntombi Mudenda and Niwael Jesse Mtui-Malamsha and Maria Hartmann and Sandra Brogden and John Bwalya Muma and Lothar Kreienbrock},
journal = {Frontiers in Veterinary Science},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fvets.2026.1963471},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2026.1963471},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - EpiFAMU: an epidemiological tool for monitoring farm-level factors essential to antimicrobial use surveillance and infection prevention and control programs in poultry production systems in Zambia—development and application
AU - Isaac Silwamba
AU - Alina Kirse
AU - Geoffrey Mainda
AU - Ntombi Mudenda
AU - Niwael Jesse Mtui-Malamsha
AU - Maria Hartmann
AU - Sandra Brogden
AU - John Bwalya Muma
AU - Lothar Kreienbrock
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/22
JO - Frontiers in Veterinary Science
DO - 10.3389/fvets.2026.1963471
UR - https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2026.1963471
AB - In recent years, Zambia and other countries have intensified their efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In the animal health sector, farm characteristics significantly affect AMR dynamics through antimicrobial use (AMU). In this regard, monitoring these farm factors remains essential for providing insights into the relation between AMU and AMR. Previously, we have shown the feasibility of monitoring AMU at the farm level using the Veterinary Consumption of Antibiotics - International Documentation (VetCAb-ID) system (©TiHo Hannover, Germany). In this study, we describe the development and application of EpiFAMU, a tool designed to monitor factors essential to AMU and infection prevention and control at the farm level. This epidemiological tool can monitor a series of distinct epidemiological variables across 13 key domains of poultry management, namely nutrition, vaccination, biosecurity, brooding, housing, equipment, personnel, market practices, extension services, AMR, AMU, mortality rates, and public health. We utilized EpiFAMU to assess AMU factor patterns in 45 broiler chicken farms in the Lusaka district of Zambia. Using the Wilcoxon test, an analysis of treatment frequency per day and farm factors revealed statistical significance for six variables: the belief that maximum production cannot be achieved without antimicrobials (p = 0.0393), the number of drinking water dispensing points (p = 0.0242), vitamin supplementation (p = 0.0328), vitamin administration prior to vaccination (p = 0.0094), measures to improve chick survival (p = 0.0324), and litter thickness (p = 0.035). Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of monitoring farm factors alongside AMU monitoring programs to generate valuable insights into potential risk factors within poultry farms that may lead to the use of antimicrobials.
SN - 2297-1769
ER -