Antibiotic resistance is causing a silent pandemic in Italy, causing 12,000 deaths each year and costing the health system over 2 billion euros.
According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), this crisis is also burdening hospitals, with 2.7 million beds occupied by infections caused by antibiotic-resistant microbes.
Robert Nistico, president of the Italian Medicines Agency, stressed that to face this emergency, a global approach is needed that promotes the prudent use of antibiotics, including in the veterinary field, as well as strengthening prevention measures. He also emphasized the search for new antimicrobial drugs that can overcome current resistance barriers.
In 2023, antibiotic consumption in Italy increased by 5.4% compared to 2022, reaching an average of 22.4 doses per thousand inhabitants. The use of antibiotics peaks during the winter months, when they are often mistakenly used to treat viral infections such as influenza. Also, half of the geriatric population uses antibiotics at least once a year, with a higher percentage in the South.
Consumption in hospitals is also increasing, where resistant microbes are more prevalent. Italy also holds the record for the use of stomach antacids, which can favor the development of resistant microorganisms.
The Antimicrobial Resistance Index, which combines antibiotic consumption and resistance to them, is increasing in most regions, especially for bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Enterococcus faecium.
The latest report shows that the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics has undergone a worrying increase, as these molecules are more prone to causing microbial resistance. Although there is a decrease in consumption in contracted care and some settings, the challenge of resistance remains a major threat to public health and the health system in Italy, KosovaPress reports. (A2 Televizion)
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