ACOMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE ACROSS EUROPEAN COUNTRIES
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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53555/b.v1i2.2601Keywords:
Antimicrobial Resistance, European Countries, Antimicrobial Consumption, Bacterial Pathogens, Public HealthAbstract
Write a structured abstract (150-250) (11pt). AIM has become a significant public health problem in Europe, which is highly variable among countries, regions, bacterial pathogens and antimicrobial classes. Secondary country-level surveillance data were analysed using a comparative quantitative approach, to identify resistance patterns, temporal trends and resistance trends in relation to antimicrobial use. Resistance percentages were evaluated for selected pathogen/antibiotic combinations and among regions by comparing Northern, Western, Southern and Eastern Europe. The results indicated that the average resistance levels were the highest in Eastern and Southern Europe, and the lowest in Northern Europe. The most prevalent concerns were for carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter species, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium and third-generation cephalosporin-resistant Escherichia coli. The mean resistance has risen from 16.4% in 2019 to 19.8% in 2023, suggesting a gradual trend of rising mean resistance. There was a positive correlation between antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance, especially for broad spectrum antibacterial use and use of Gram-negative microorganisms. The results highlight the importance of enhanced antimicrobial stewardship; harmonised surveillance; enhancing infection prevention; and coordinated cross-border action. Reporting quality, and coverage of the presence of antimicrobial resistance in different isolates, prevented direct comparability, but the evidence provided showed that antimicrobial resistance is not uniformly distributed and is continuing to increase in several European contexts, and therefore needs on-going national action and coordinated One Health approaches.
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