Using Big Data to Analyze Treatment of Respiratory Infections

SUMMARY: Researchers will investigate the antibiotic prescription practices of veterinarians treating upper respiratory infections in cats.

THE PROBLEM:Antibiotics are vital for treating bacterial infections in cats, but they can cause side effects and their use can lead to antibiotic resistance. Many upper respiratory infections (URIs) in cats are caused by viruses and usually get better on their own. To avoid unnecessary antibiotic use, vets are encouraged to delay prescribing them until a bacterial infection is confirmed. Since 2017, guidelines have been in place to help vets prescribe antibiotics correctly for cats with URIs but there are still knowledge gaps when it comes to how veterinarians use, or don’t use, these guidelines.

THE PROJECT: This study will use a national pet health database to gather information about feline URIs. The database uses a Common Data Model (CDM) to bring together data from various sources, making it easier to analyze. The first goal is to find out how common these infections are, track how many episodes each cat has per year, count the veterinary visits for these episodes, and measure how long it takes before a cat receives antibiotics. The second goal of the study is to identify factors that influence whether antibiotics are prescribed for cats with URIs and to see how closely veterinarians follow the guidelines. The team will analyze data to see how different factors, like age and health history, affect antibiotic use. Additionally, they’ll review notes from veterinarians to gather more details about each case, including how long symptoms last and any recommendations for supportive care.

POTENTIAL IMPACT: The results of this study will give valuable insights into how antibiotics are prescribed for feline URIs and help improve future practices to manage antibiotic use in veterinary medicine.