WHO and ECDC publishes first antimicrobial resistance surveillance in Europe report

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) have published the first antimicrobial resistance surveillance in Europe report, providing a pan-European overview of the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) situation in the European region. Featuring data from 2020, the report finds that more than 670,000 drug-resistant bacterial infections occurred in the EU and EEA alone, with approximately 33,000 people dying as a direct consequence of these infections. 

The report found high percentages of resistance to third-generation cephalosporins and carbapenems in K. pneumoniae, and high percentages of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter spp. in several countries, suggesting the dissemination of resistant clones in healthcare settings and indicating, in many countries or areas, the limitations in treatment options for patients with infections caused by these pathogens. Resistance to last-line antibiotics, such as vancomycin and those in the carbapenems group, is also raised as a concern.

The report concludes that robust investments in interventions to address AMR are urgently needed and would have a significant positive impact on population health and future healthcare expenditures in the region.

Sources: WHO, 26 January 2022 and ECDC, 26 January 2022