Antimicrobial sales in 2018 : a moderate increase

Despite an increase from 2017 to 2018, 2018 is the second-lowest year on record and the overall trend continues to indicate that ongoing efforts to support antimicrobial stewardship are having an impact: sales in 2018 are down 21 percent since 2009.

Of the 2018 domestic sales and distribution of medically important antimicrobials approved for use in food-producing animals:

• Tetracyclines accounted for 66%
• Penicillins for 12%
• Macrolides for 8%
• Sulfas for 5%
• Aminoglycosides for 5%
• Lincosamides for 2%
• Cephalosporins for 1%
• Fluoroquinolones for less than 1%