RESUMEN
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses serious challenges to the healthcare systems worldwide. Multiple factors and activities contribute to the development and spread of antimicrobial-resistant microorganisms. Monitoring progress in combating AMR is fundamental at both global and national levels to drive multisectoral actions, identify priorities, and coordinate strategies. Since 2017, the World Health Organization (WHO) has collected data through the Tracking AMR Country Self-Assessment Survey (TrACSS). TrACSS data are published in a publicly-available database. In 2023, 71 (59.9%) out of 177 responding countries reported the existence of a monitoring and evaluation plan for their National Action Plan (NAP) on AMR, and just 20 countries (11.3%) the allocation of funding to support NAP implementation. Countries reported challenges including limited financial and human resources, lack of technical capacity, and variable political commitment. Even across the Group of Seven (G7) countries, which represent some of the world's most advanced economies, many areas still need improvement, such as full implementation of infection prevention and control measures, adoption of WHO access/watch/reserve (AWaRe) classification of antibiotics, effective integration of laboratories in AMR surveillance in the animal health and food safety sectors, training and education, good manufacturing and hygiene practices in food processing, optimising pesticides use and environmental residues of antimicrobial drugs. Continuous and coordinated efforts are needed to strengthen multisectoral engagement to fight AMR.
Asunto(s)
Organización Mundial de la Salud , Humanos , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Antibacterianos/farmacología , Antibacterianos/uso terapéutico , Farmacorresistencia Bacteriana , Autoevaluación (Psicología) , Salud Global , AnimalesRESUMEN
The COVID-19 pandemic saw unprecedented resources and funds driven into research for the development, and subsequent rapid distribution, of vaccines, diagnostics and directly acting antivirals (DAAs). DAAs have undeniably prevented progression and life-threatening conditions in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. However, there are concerns of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), antiviral resistance specifically, for DAAs. To preserve activity of DAAs for COVID-19 therapy, as well as detect possible mutations conferring resistance, antimicrobial stewardship and surveillance were rapidly implemented in England. This paper expands on the ubiquitous ongoing public health activities carried out in England, including epidemiologic, virologic and genomic surveillance, to support the stewardship of DAAs and assess the deployment, safety, effectiveness and resistance potential of these novel and repurposed therapeutics.
Asunto(s)
COVID-19 , Humanos , COVID-19/epidemiología , SARS-CoV-2 , Antibacterianos/uso terapéutico , Pandemias/prevención & control , Antivirales/uso terapéutico , Antivirales/farmacología , Farmacorresistencia Bacteriana , Inglaterra/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Antibacterial prescribing for respiratory tract infections (RTIs) accounts for almost half of all prescribing in primary care. Nearly a quarter of antibacterial prescribing in primary care is estimated to be inappropriate, the greatest being for RTIs. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the provision of healthcare services and impacted the levels of antibacterials prescribed. OBJECTIVES: To describe the changes in community antibacterial prescribing for RTIs in winter 2020-21 in England. METHODS: RTI antibacterial prescribing was measured in prescription items/1000 population for primary care from January 2014 and in DDDs/1000 population/day for the totality of RTI prescribing [combined with Accident & Emergency (A&E) in secondary care], from January 2016 to February 2021. Trends were assessed using negative binomial regression and seasonally adjusted interrupted time-series analysis. RESULTS: Antibacterials prescribed for RTIs reduced by a further 12.4% per season compared with pre-COVID (Pâ<â0.001). In winter 2020-21, RTI prescriptions almost halved compared with the previous winter in 2019-20 (Pâ<â0.001). The trend observed for total RTI prescribing (primary care with A&E) was similar to that observed in the community alone. CONCLUSIONS: During COVID-19, RTI prescribing reduced in the community and the expected rise in winter was not seen in 2020-21. We found no evidence that RTI prescribing shifted from primary care to A&E in secondary care. The most likely explanation is a decrease in RTIs and presentations to primary care associated with national prevention measures for COVID-19.
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COVID-19 , Infecciones del Sistema Respiratorio , Antibacterianos/uso terapéutico , Inglaterra/epidemiología , Humanos , Prescripción Inadecuada/prevención & control , Pandemias , Pautas de la Práctica en Medicina , Atención Primaria de Salud , Infecciones del Sistema Respiratorio/tratamiento farmacológico , Infecciones del Sistema Respiratorio/epidemiología , SARS-CoV-2 , Estaciones del AñoRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The "Quality Premium" (QP) introduced in England in 2015 aimed to financially reward local healthcare commissioners for targeted reductions in primary care antibiotic prescribing. We aimed to evaluate possible unintended clinical outcomes related to this QP. METHODS: Using Clinical Practice Research Datalink and Hospital Episode Statistics datasets, we examined general practitioner (GP) consultations (visits) and emergency hospital admissions related to a series of predefined conditions of unintended consequences of reduced prescribing. Monthly age- and sex-standardized rates were calculated using a direct method of standardization. We used segmented regression analysis of interrupted time series to evaluate the impact of the QP on seasonally adjusted outcome rates. RESULTS: We identified 27334 GP consultations and >5 million emergency hospital admissions with predefined conditions. There was no evidence that the QP was associated with changes in GP consultation and hospital admission rates for the selected conditions combined. However, when each condition was considered separately, a significant increase in hospital admission rates was noted for quinsy, and significant decreases were seen for hospital-acquired pneumonia, scarlet fever, pyelonephritis, and complicated urinary tract conditions. A significant decrease in GP consultation rates was estimated for empyema and scarlet fever. No significant changes were observed for other conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this study show that overall there was no significant association between the intervention and unintended clinical consequences, with the exception of a few specific conditions, most of which could be explained through other parallel policy changes or should be interpreted with caution due to small numbers.
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Antibacterianos/uso terapéutico , Programas de Optimización del Uso de los Antimicrobianos/métodos , Infecciones Bacterianas/tratamiento farmacológico , Prescripciones de Medicamentos/normas , Adolescente , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Niño , Preescolar , Servicios Médicos de Urgencia/estadística & datos numéricos , Inglaterra , Femenino , Investigación sobre Servicios de Salud , Hospitales , Humanos , Lactante , Recién Nacido , Análisis de Series de Tiempo Interrumpido , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Admisión del Paciente/estadística & datos numéricos , Derivación y Consulta/estadística & datos numéricos , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
Objectives: To assess the impact of the 2015/16 NHS England Quality Premium (which provided a financial incentive for Clinical Commissioning Groups to reduce antibiotic prescribing in primary care) on antibiotic prescribing by General Practitioners (GPs) for respiratory tract infections (RTIs). Methods: Interrupted time series analysis using monthly patient-level consultation and prescribing data obtained from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) between April 2011 and March 2017. The study population comprised patients consulting a GP who were diagnosed with an RTI. We assessed the rate of antibiotic prescribing in patients (both aggregate and stratified by age) with a recorded diagnosis of uncomplicated RTI, before and after the implementation of the Quality Premium. Results: Prescribing rates decreased over the 6 year study period, with evident seasonality. Notably, there was a 3% drop in the rate of antibiotic prescribing (equating to 14.65 prescriptions per 1000 RTI consultations) (P < 0.05) in April 2015, coinciding with the introduction of the Quality Premium. This reduction was sustained, such that after 2 years there was a 3% decrease in prescribing relative to that expected had the pre-intervention trend continued. There was also a concurrent 2% relative reduction in the rate of broad-spectrum antibiotic prescribing. Antibiotic prescribing for RTIs diagnosed in children showed the greatest decline with a 6% relative change 2 years after the intervention. Of the RTI indications studied, the greatest reductions in antibiotic prescribing were seen for patients with sore throats. Conclusions: Community prescribing of antibiotics for RTIs significantly decreased following the introduction of the Quality Premium, with the greatest reduction seen in younger patients.
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Antibacterianos/uso terapéutico , Utilización de Medicamentos/estadística & datos numéricos , Pautas de la Práctica en Medicina/estadística & datos numéricos , Prescripciones/estadística & datos numéricos , Atención Primaria de Salud/métodos , Infecciones del Sistema Respiratorio/tratamiento farmacológico , Factores de Edad , Inglaterra , Humanos , Análisis de Series de Tiempo Interrumpido , MotivaciónRESUMEN
We determined the incidence, risk factors and antimicrobial susceptibility associated with Escherichia coli bacteraemia in England over a 24 month period. Case data were obtained from the national mandatory surveillance database, with susceptibility data linked from LabBase2, a voluntary national microbiology database. Between April 2012 and March 2014, 66,512 E. coli bacteraemia cases were reported. Disease incidence increased by 6% from 60.4 per 100,000 population in 2012-13 to 63.5 per 100,000 population in 2013-14 (p < 0.0001). Rates of E. coli bacteraemia varied with patient age and sex, with 70.5% (46,883/66,512) of cases seen in patients aged ≥ 65 years and 52.4% (33,969/64,846) of cases in females. The most common underlying cause of bacteraemia was infection of the genital/urinary tract (41.1%; 27,328/66,512), of which 98.4% (26,891/27,328) were urinary tract infections (UTIs). The majority of cases (76.1%; 50,617/66,512) had positive blood cultures before or within two days of admission and were classified as community onset cases, however 15.7% (10,468/66,512) occurred in patients who had been hospitalised for over a week. Non-susceptibility to ciprofloxacin, third-generation cephalosporins, piperacillin-tazobactam, gentamicin and carbapenems were 18.4% (8,439/45,829), 10.4% (4,256/40,734), 10.2% (4,694/46,186), 9.7% (4,770/49,114) and 0.2% (91/42,986), respectively. Antibiotic non-susceptibility was higher in hospital-onset cases than for those presenting from the community (e.g. ciprofloxacin non-susceptibility was 22.1% (2,234/10,105) for hospital-onset vs 17.4% (5,920/34,069) for community-onset cases). Interventions to reduce the incidence of E. coli bacteraemia will have to target the community setting and UTIs if substantial reductions are to be realised.
Asunto(s)
Bacteriemia/epidemiología , Infecciones por Escherichia coli/diagnóstico , Infecciones por Escherichia coli/epidemiología , Escherichia coli/aislamiento & purificación , Infecciones Urinarias/etiología , Adolescente , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Antibacterianos/uso terapéutico , Niño , Preescolar , Infecciones Comunitarias Adquiridas/epidemiología , Infección Hospitalaria/epidemiología , Farmacorresistencia Bacteriana , Inglaterra/epidemiología , Escherichia coli/efectos de los fármacos , Infecciones por Escherichia coli/sangre , Infecciones por Escherichia coli/tratamiento farmacológico , Femenino , Humanos , Incidencia , Lactante , Masculino , Notificación Obligatoria , Persona de Mediana Edad , Vigilancia de la Población , Factores de Riesgo , Infecciones Urinarias/epidemiología , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: Inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics is a key driver of antimicrobial resistance. This study aimed to describe urine sampling rates and antibiotic prescribing for patients with lower urinary tract infections (UTIs) in English general practice. DESIGN: A retrospective population-based study using administrative data. SETTING: IQVIA Medical Research Database (IMRD) data from general practices in England, 2015-2022. PARTICIPANTS: Patients who have consulted with an uncomplicated UTI in England general practices captured in the IMRD. OUTCOME MEASURES: Trends in UTI episodes (episodes were defined as UTI diagnosis codes occurring within 14 days of each other), testing and antibiotic prescribing on the same day as initial UTI consultation were assessed from January 2015 to December 2022. Associations, using univariate and multivariate logistic regressions, were examined between consultation and demographic factors on the odds of a urine test. RESULTS: There were 743 350 UTI episodes; 50.8% had a urine test. Testing rates fluctuated with an upward trend and large decline in 2020. Same-day UTI antibiotic prescribing occurred in 78.2% of episodes. In multivariate modelling, factors found to decrease odds of a urine test included age ≥85 years (0.83, 95% CI 0.82 to 0.84), consultation type (remote vs face to face, 0.45, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.46), episodes in London compared with the South (0.74, 95% CI 0.72 to 0.75) and increasing practice size (0.77, 95% CI 0.76 to 0.78). Odds of urine tests increased in males (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.13), for those episodes without a same-day UTI antibiotic (1.10, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.16) for episodes for those with higher deprivation status (Indices of Multiple Deprivation 8 vs 1, 1.51, 95% CI 1.48 to 1.54). Compared with 2015, 2016-2019 saw increased odds of testing while 2020 and 2021 saw decreases, with 2022 showing increased odds. CONCLUSION: Urine testing for UTI in general practice in England showed an upward trend, with same-day antibiotic prescribing remaining consistent, suggesting greater alignment to national guidelines. The COVID-19 pandemic impacted testing rates, though as of 2022, they began to recover.
Asunto(s)
Antibacterianos , Medicina General , Pautas de la Práctica en Medicina , Urinálisis , Infecciones Urinarias , Humanos , Inglaterra/epidemiología , Infecciones Urinarias/diagnóstico , Infecciones Urinarias/tratamiento farmacológico , Infecciones Urinarias/orina , Infecciones Urinarias/epidemiología , Masculino , Femenino , Estudios Retrospectivos , Medicina General/tendencias , Antibacterianos/uso terapéutico , Persona de Mediana Edad , Anciano , Urinálisis/métodos , Pautas de la Práctica en Medicina/tendencias , Pautas de la Práctica en Medicina/estadística & datos numéricos , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Adulto , Prescripción Inadecuada/estadística & datos numéricos , Adolescente , Adulto Joven , Modelos LogísticosRESUMEN
Background: The responsible use of existing antimicrobials is essential in reducing the threat posed by antimicrobial resistance (AMR). With the introduction of restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, a substantial reduction in face-to-face appointments in general practice was observed. To understand if this shift in healthcare provision has impacted on prescribing practices, we investigated antibiotic prescribing for upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) consultations. Methods: We conducted an interrupted time-series analysis using patient-level primary care data to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on consultations and antibiotic prescribing for URTI in England. Results: We estimated an increase of 105.7 antibiotic items per 1000 URTI consultations (95% CI: 65.6-145.8; Pâ<â0.001) after national lockdown measures in March 2020, with increases mostly sustained to May 2022. Conclusions: Overuse of antibiotics is known to be a driver of resistance and it is essential that efforts to reduce inappropriate prescribing continue subsequent to the COVID-19 pandemic. Further work should examine drivers of increased antibiotic prescribing for URTI to inform the development of targeted antibiotic stewardship interventions.
RESUMEN
Introduction: Reducing inappropriate antibiotic prescribing tempers the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance. We aimed to quantify the associated impact of COVID-19-related national restrictions in England on dental antibiotic dispensing and describe changes in appointments and modes of delivery of care. Methods: Interrupted time series analyses were completed using NHS Business Service Authority (NHSBSA) ePACT2 data to measure the associated change in antibiotic dispensing in England following COVID-19-related restrictions (which began March 2020). For face-to-face dental consultations, NHS dental treatment plan (FP17) data were used. For remote consultations during the COVID-19 period, NHSBSA Compass system remote management data were used. Results: Between January 2016 and February 2020, there was a decreasing trend in antibiotic dispensing (-0.02 per 1000 population per month, Pâ<â0.05). In contrast, there was an increase of 0.98 per 1000 population (Pâ<â0.05) in March. The peak in antibiotic use occurred between June 2020 and July 2020, once the restrictions were eased. At the end of the study period (July 2021), the elevated prescribing trend had not returned to pre-pandemic counterfactual levels, although exhibiting a declining trend. A stable trend in dental treatment plans was seen pre-COVID-19, with a sharp decline coinciding with the restrictions. Dental treatment plans had not yet returned to the higher pre-pandemic levels. Conclusions: Dental antibiotic prescribing significantly increased with the national COVID-19 restrictions when service delivery was altered with the closure of dental practices and introduction of remote consultations. Teledentistry was likely associated with inappropriate antibiotic prescribing. Continued antimicrobial stewardship and prudent use of antibiotics in dentistry is important.