Antibiotic Resistance
Resistance monitoring in zoonotic and indicator bacteria of healthy slaughter animals was harmonised EU-wide in 2014.
Antibiotic resistance among commensal bacteria from the intestinal flora and fresh meat of healthy food-producing animals can be used as an “indicator” for factors such as the selective pressure from use of antibiotic agents in these populations. These bacteria constitute a reservoir of potentially transferable resistance genes that can spread horizontally to other bacteria, including zoonotic bacteria. And given the risk of compromising the effectiveness of antibiotic treatments of infections in humans, it is of special importance to monitor antibiotic resistance in zoonotic bacteria isolated from animals.
Monitoring antibiotic resistance in these bacteria provides information about the types of resistance present in intestinal bacteria and fresh meat of food-producing animals. This information can then potentially be of relevance in studying antibiotic resistance in bacteria present in humans. Therefore, such monitoring is relevant to both public and animal health. It also serves as a valuable early-warning system to help identify emerging types of resistance in livestock populations and to monitor their potential spread.
With the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria in the last decades in human and veterinary medicine, the monitoring was expanded to ESBL/AmpC-producing and carbapenemase-producing E. coli and, since 2020, to carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella spp. Because of its importance in human medicine, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a commensal bacterium that can be found in soft tissues of healthy animals, is included in the antibiotic resistance monitoring for pigs and calves.
Resistance Monitoring in Cattle
The following graphs summarize the resistance patterns for samples at slaughterhouse (indicator of resistance among Swiss herds) and at retails (indicator of fresh meat contamination). Data collected since 2006 show a mixed picture: resistance has increased significantly in some bacteria, but has remained stable or decreased in others.
Select a pathogen of interest from the drop-down menus. Use the checkboxes to activate or deactivate antibiotic classes, confidence intervals and plot types (percentage or absolute numbers). When the mouse is moved over the graph a toolbar appears, which allows zooming or showing data on hover.
95% CI: 95% confidence interval
For this analysis all isolates tested against the corresponding pathogen were considered. Results are reported as delivered by the Centre for Zoonoses, Animal Bacterial Diseases and Antimicrobial Resistance (ZOBA).
Data are provided for surveillance purposes and are not intended to be used for therapeutic decisions solely.
Additional information
Multidrug-resistant Microorganisms (Cattle)
Use the checkboxes to activate or deactivate pathogens, origin of the samples and confidence intervals. When the mouse is moved over the graph a toolbar appears, which allows zooming or showing data on hover.
95% CI: 95% confidence interval
For this analysis all isolates tested against the corresponding pathogen were considered. Results are reported as delivered by the Centre for Zoonoses, Animal Bacterial Diseases and Antimicrobial Resistance (ZOBA).
Data are provided for surveillance purposes and are not intended to be used for therapeutic decisions solely.
Additional information
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Resistance Monitoring in Pigs
The following graphs summarize the resistance patterns for samples at slaughterhouse (indicator of resistance among Swiss herds) and at retails (indicator of fresh meat contamination). Data collected since 2006 show a mixed picture: resistance has increased significantly in some bacteria, but has remained stable or decreased in others.
Select a pathogen of interest from the drop-down menus. Use the checkboxes to activate or deactivate antibiotic classes, confidence intervals and plot types (percentage or absolute numbers). When the mouse is moved over the graph a toolbar appears, which allows zooming or showing data on hover.
95% CI: 95% confidence interval
For this analysis all isolates tested against the corresponding pathogen were considered. Results are reported as delivered by the Centre for Zoonoses, Animal Bacterial Diseases and Antimicrobial Resistance (ZOBA).
Data are provided for surveillance purposes and are not intended to be used for therapeutic decisions solely.
Additional information
Multidrug-resistant Microorganisms (Pigs)
Use the checkboxes to activate or deactivate pathogens, origin of the samples and confidence intervals. When the mouse is moved over the graph a toolbar appears, which allows zooming or showing data on hover.
95% CI: 95% confidence interval
For this analysis all isolates tested against the corresponding pathogen were considered. Results are reported as delivered by the Centre for Zoonoses, Animal Bacterial Diseases and Antimicrobial Resistance (ZOBA).
Data are provided for surveillance purposes and are not intended to be used for therapeutic decisions solely.
Additional information
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Resistance Monitoring in Chicken
The following graphs summarize the resistance patterns for samples at slaughterhouse (indicator of resistance among Swiss herds) and at retails (indicator of fresh meat contamination). Data collected since 2006 show a mixed picture: resistance has increased significantly in some bacteria, but has remained stable or decreased in others.
Select a pathogen of interest from the drop-down menus. Use the checkboxes to activate or deactivate antibiotic classes, confidence intervals and plot types (percentage or absolute numbers). When the mouse is moved over the graph a toolbar appears, which allows zooming or showing data on hover.
95% CI: 95% confidence interval
For this analysis all isolates tested against the corresponding pathogen were considered. Results are reported as delivered by the Centre for Zoonoses, Animal Bacterial Diseases and Antimicrobial Resistance (ZOBA).
Data are provided for surveillance purposes and are not intended to be used for therapeutic decisions solely.
Additional information
Multidrug-resistant Microorganisms (Chicken)
Use the checkboxes to activate or deactivate pathogens, origin of the samples and confidence intervals. When the mouse is moved over the graph a toolbar appears, which allows zooming or showing data on hover.
95% CI: 95% confidence interval
For this analysis all isolates tested against the corresponding pathogen were considered. Results are reported as delivered by the Centre for Zoonoses, Animal Bacterial Diseases and Antimicrobial Resistance (ZOBA).
Data are provided for surveillance purposes and are not intended to be used for therapeutic decisions solely.
Additional information
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Monitoring of antibiotic resistance for relevant pathogens from diseased livestock and companion animals is important for veterinarians. It enables them to make appropriate choices regarding antibiotic therapies, which they often cannot base on an antibiogram prior to the first treatment. Moreover, these data fill another important gap regarding monitoring of antibiotic resistance from the One Health perspective.
In 2019, an annual monitoring of antibiotic resistance in veterinary pathogens was initiated by the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) and implemented at the Swiss national reference laboratory for antimicrobial resistance (ZOBA). The sampling plan was consolidated in 2022 to include pathogen/animal and indication combinations which are of relevance in veterinary medicine.
Select an animal species, a pathogen of interest and a sample type from the drop-down menus. Use the checkboxes to activate or deactivate time series and confidence intervals. When the mouse is moved over the graph a toolbar appears, which allows zooming or showing data on hover.
95% CI: 95% confidence interval
For this analysis all isolates tested against the corresponding pathogen and sent by the laboratories were considered. Results are delivered by universities, and cantonal and private veterinary diagnostic laboratories in Switzerland. The data presented should be interpreted with caution, as for some pathogens and species the number of isolates remains low. Data are provided for surveillance purposes and are not intended to be used for therapeutic decisions solely.
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This website presents aggregated resistance data for diseased animals in Switzerland. Data are updated annually.
Data should be interpreted with caution and should not be used as uncritical treatment recommendations, as the likelihood of resistance depends on individual patient characteristics. Treatment decisions should be based not only on resistance rates, but also on other factors such as adverse effects, toxicity, availability, and selective pressure. For some microorganism–antibiotic combinations, increased dosing regimens or combination therapy may be required.
Data may be used in presentations or publications provided that they are correctly cited as data from “Swiss Centre for Antibiotic Resistance, anresis.ch, last accessed [date]”.
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Results: Proportion (%) of tested isolates, n is the number of tested isolates.
Selection criteria: Data may be stratified according to
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This online tool provides quick, intuitive access to the latest antibiotic resistance data for animal pathogens in Switzerland, providing the veterinary profession with reliable empirical treatment options.
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