WHO report shows rising antibiotic resistance

A new World Health Organization (WHO) report, based on data reported in 87 countries in 2020, found that high levels of bacterial resistance are causing life-threatening bloodstream infections and It reveals that some bacteria that cause common infections are becoming increasingly resistant to treatments.

first time, Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) Report provides an analysis of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) rates are presented in relation to national testing coverage, AMR trends since 2017, and data on human antibiotic consumption in 27 countries. Within his six years, GLASS achieved participation from 127 countries, representing his 72% of the world’s population.of report Includes innovative interactive digital formats that facilitate data extraction and graphics.

The report shows that high levels (greater than 50%) of resistance have been reported in bacteria such as Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter, which cause frequent bloodstream infections in hospitals. These life-threatening infections require treatment with last-resort antibiotics such as carbapenems. However, 8% of bloodstream infections with Klebsiella pneumoniae have been reported to be resistant to carbapenems, increasing the risk of death from uncontrolled infections.

Common bacterial infections are becoming increasingly resistant to treatment. More than 60% of isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, a common sexually transmitted disease, show resistance to ciprofloxacin, one of the most used oral antibiotics.More than 20% of E. coli isolates — the most common pathogen Urinary-tract infection— Both first-line (ampicillin and co-trimoxazole) and second-line (fluoroquinolones) were resistant.

“Antimicrobial resistance will weaken modern medicine WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: Guarantee data in all countries, not just wealthy ones. ”

Although most resistance trends have remained stable over the past four years, bloodstream infections with resistant E. coli and Salmonella spp. are on the rise. Resistant gonorrhea infections increased by at least 15% compared to 2017 rates. Further research is needed to identify the reasons behind his observed increase in AMR and the extent to which it is associated with increased hospitalizations and increased antibiotic treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic. . The pandemic also meant that some countries were unable to report data for 2020.

Countries with lower testing coverage mostly have low and middle income country (LMIC) are more likely to report significantly higher AMR rates for most “bug-medicine” combinations. This may be (partly) due to the fact that in many LMICs, a limited number of referral hospitals report to his GLASS. These hospitals often care for the sickest patients who may have previously been treated with antibiotics.

For example, the global median AMR levels are 42% (E. coli) and 35% (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)), two indicators of the AMR Sustainable Development Goal. However, when only countries with high testing rates are considered, these levels are significantly lower at 11% and 6.8% respectively.

Regarding human antibiotic consumption, 65% of the 27 reporting countries indicated that at least 60% of the antibiotics consumed came from the antibiotic ‘ACCESS’ group, i.e., effective antibiotics according to the WHO AWaRE classification. achieved the WHO goal of ensuring that With a wide range of common infections, the risk of creating resistance is relatively low.

AMR rates remain difficult to interpret due to inadequate testing coverage and weak laboratory capacity, especially in low- and middle-income countries. To overcome this critical gap, WHO follows two approaches aimed at short-term evidence generation through research and long-term capacity building for regular surveillance. This includes the introduction of a representative national AMR prevalence survey to generate AMR baseline and trend data for policy development and intervention monitoring, and a representative national AMR prevalence survey at all levels of the health system. with an increasing number of quality-assured laboratories reporting accurate AMR data.

Responding to trends in antimicrobial resistance requires increased surveillance capacity, quality-assured data delivery, and high-level national commitment to action by all people and communities. By enhancing the collection of his AMR and AMC data of standardized quality, the next phase of GLASS will be to stop the emergence and spread of AMR and protect antimicrobial use for future generations. Support effective data-driven behavior.

Courtesy of the World Health Organization