Rise in Antibiotic Resistance: ICMR's 2023 AMR Report
Introduction
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has revealed alarming findings in its 2023 annual report on antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The report highlights how common infections such as urinary tract infections (UTIs), blood infections, pneumonia, and typhoid are increasingly becoming resistant to antibiotics that were once highly effective. These findings are based on data collected from healthcare facilities across India over the year.
Data Overview
The ICMR’s AMR research and surveillance network studied 99,492 samples from both public and private healthcare facilities between January 1 and December 31, 2023. The samples, including blood, urine, and respiratory specimens, were gathered from 21 centers across the country. The study focused on the effectiveness of common antibiotics used to treat various infections, such as respiratory and bloodstream infections, as well as fevers.
Rising Resistance to Key Antibiotics
The report reveals a significant increase in antibiotic resistance, particularly against widely used antibiotics. For instance, E. coli, a common bacterium found in both ICU and outpatient settings, showed low response rates to antibiotics such as cefotaxime, ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, and levofloxacin. The effectiveness of these antibiotics has dropped below 20%.
Other bacteria, such as Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, also demonstrated higher resistance to critical antibiotics like piperacillin-tazobactam, imipenem, and meropenem. For example, the effectiveness of piperacillin-tazobactam fell from 56.8% in 2017 to just 42.4% in 2023. Additionally, the report showed a decline in the effectiveness of other key antibiotics like amikacin and meropenem.
Antibiotic Misuse and Agriculture's Role
The report highlights the misuse of antibiotics, particularly in agriculture, as a major factor contributing to the rise in resistance. It calls for stricter regulations to limit the misuse of antibiotics in both human and animal healthcare to maintain their effectiveness.
Researchers from ICMR also pointed out that bacteria responsible for gastroenteritis, such as Salmonella typhi, have developed over 95% resistance to fluoroquinolones, a group of antibiotics commonly used to treat severe infections.
Urgent Call for Action
The ICMR report stresses the urgent need for immediate action to address the growing threat of antibiotic resistance. Continuous monitoring of antimicrobial susceptibilities is essential to ensure proper antibiotic treatment, improve patient outcomes, and limit the spread of resistant bacteria.
Experts are calling for comprehensive strategies, including public education and responsible antibiotic use, to combat this public health crisis. These efforts are vital to preserve the effectiveness of essential antibiotics for the future.
Source: Inputs from various media Sources
