The antimicrobial resistance
(AMR) report,
published at the start of World Antimicrobial
Awareness Week (WAAW), 18 to 24
November, shows there were an estimated 65,162 AMR infections diagnosed in
2019, up from 61,946 in 2018.
E. coli remains the most common bloodstream infection, rising 14%
from 68.3 cases per 100,000 population in 2015 to 77.5 in 2019.
AMR occurs when
bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond to the
drugs designed to kill them – it can cause serious complications,
including bloodstream infections and hospitalisation.
Public Health England (PHE) is urging people to help
tackle AMR by
taking their doctor, pharmacist or nurse’s advice to only take
antibiotics when needed.
The continuing rise in AMR bloodstream infections is a
significant concern, rising by a third (32%) since 2015 – with
AMR linked to 1 in
5 people with a key bacterial bloodstream infection.
Antibiotic-resistant bloodstream infections have increased from
13,671 in 2015 to over 18,000 in this year’s report.
Antibiotics are vital to the treatment of bacterial infections
such as pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis. They also help to
protect against infection during chemotherapy, caesarean sections
and other major surgeries.
However, they are sometimes used to treat coughs, earache and
sore throats where they may have little or no effect.
When antibiotics are used and overused, the bacteria they are
meant to kill can adapt and develop resistance, making these
life-saving medicines ineffective when they are most needed.
The new report shows that antibiotic consumption continues to
fall year-on-year. In 2019, total consumption fell to 17.9
defined daily doses per 1,000 people per day, compared to 19.4 in
2015.
This is driven by a continued decrease in general practices,
where most antibiotics continue to be prescribed, as well as in
the dental sector. GPs
have been supported to reduce their prescribing through
antimicrobial stewardship interventions and NHS improvement
schemes.
Hospitals and other community settings have seen increases in
antibiotic prescribing. This is because bloodstream infections,
which must be treated with antibiotics, are on the rise and are
generally treated in these settings.
Isabel Oliver, Director of National Infection Service at
PHE, said:
We want the public to join us in tackling AMR – listen to your
GP, pharmacist or
nurse’s advice and only take antibiotics when necessary.
It’s worrying that more infections are becoming resistant to
these life-saving medicines. Taking antibiotics when you don’t
need them can have grave consequences for you and your family’s
health, now and in the future.
WAAW aims
to increase awareness of global antimicrobial resistance and to
encourage best practice among the general public, health workers
and policy makers to avoid the further emergence and spread of
drug-resistant infections.
