2023-11-22 09:00:00
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Las multi-resistant bacteria (BMR) have become a greater mortal threat than traffic accidents, claiming more than 23,000 lives annually in Spain, according to data from the Spanish Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology (SEIMC).
This alarming phenomenon is observed even though antibiotics have historically dramatically reduced deaths from bacterial infections. However, resistance to these drugs has reemerged, mainly affecting older people, immunocompromised patients or patients with chronic conditions, although also young and healthy individuals.
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The situation is exacerbated in hospital settings, where the risk of BMR infection increases significantly, especially after hospitalizations for trauma or other illnesses.
A global public health problem
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is not only a national problem, but one of the ten most serious threats for public health globally, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In 2019, Almost five million deaths related to antimicrobial resistance were recorded worldwide. If this trend is not reversed, AMR is expected to become the leading cause of death by 2050.
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The study SEIMC-BMR 2023, with the collaboration of 260 researchers from 130 Spanish hospitals, has revealed worrying data, such as the registration of 2,351 episodes of BMR infection in just 14 days. Urinary infections and pneumonia were the most common and fatal, respectively, with pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus methicillin-resistant (MRSA) and Enterococcus faecium resistant to Ampicilin (ERA).
Thus, the use of antibiotics should be limited. Whenever they are used, these can contribute to the development of bacterial resistance. This phenomenon is due to a complex interaction between the exposure of microorganisms to antibiotics and the subsequent spread of these microorganisms and their resistance mechanisms.
In situations where the use of antibiotics is required, the benefits generally outweigh the risks related to resistance to these drugs. However, the excessive and inappropriate use of antibiotics represents a significant threatas it undermines the effectiveness of these important drugs.
Even the use of antibacterial soaps. Antibacterial soaps can kill so many germs that they can also promote the evolution of new bacteria that could make us even sicker, as explained Daniel E. Lieberman in his book The history of the human body.
A CHALLENGE FOR SPAIN
Spain, being the only country in the European Union without a recognized specialty in Infectious Diseases, faces an additional challenge in the fight against AMR. The need to recognize this specialty has been highlighted by experts, arguing that the presence of specialists is essential to improve antimicrobial resistance programs.
Why bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics
He National Antibiotic Resistance Plan (PRAN), implemented since 2014, has managed to significantly reduce antibiotic consumption in both humans and animals. At the European level, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) emphasize the need to strengthen measures against AMR, promoting the implementation of management programs of antimicrobials (PROA) in the health systems of the member countries.
In conclusion, the Multi-resistant bacteria represent a growing risk and exceed the mortality rate of traffic accidents in Spain. This situation demands a coordinated and multidisciplinary response at the national and international level to confront this global public health challenge.
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