According to experts, the increase in antibiotic resistance leads India to the pre-antibiotic era

The absence of restrictions on access to antibiotics and their irrational use, non-standardized microbiology laboratories, the use of antibiotics in livestock and fisheries, and the lack of sanitation lead to widespread resistance to antibiotics in India, and the country may slip back into the pre-antibiotic era. The situation can be alarming if the crude mortality rate for infectious diseases in India is considered to be 416.75 per 100,000 population, about double the rate in the United States (Bank data). World). In India, the number of infectious diseases per person is 15 times higher than in the UK.

This has been said by Indian and foreign experts in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) who are in Kochi to participate in the "International Conference on Management of Antibiotics and Infectious Diseases", which will be held for two days in the summer. Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences on October 27th. 28, 2018. They emphasized the importance of "antibiotic management", which refers to a combination of practices aimed at streamlining the use of antibiotics through the right dose of the right drug , the right duration, the right frequency, the right patient and the right indication. Streamlining the use of antibiotics is critical to reducing the burden of infectious diseases, experts said at the event, which saw the participation of ten renowned international lecturers from the United Kingdom, United States, and the United States. from South Africa.

According to Dr. Sanjeev K Singh, medical director of the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences in Kochi, overconsumption of antibiotics is widespread in India. A recent study in Kerala found that 89% of doctors prescribe antibiotics daily. So, when a patient suffers, for example, from upper respiratory tract infection symptoms, diarrhea or vomiting – which usually indicates a viral illness and therefore should not be treated at the same time. Antibiotic help – the patient is prescribed antibiotic treatment. It is therefore not surprising that India consumes the largest volume of antibiotics in the world.

He reportedly added that at the international level, the spread of antibiotic resistance is also important, but access to drugs is controlled and a third party monitors its use and consumption, which leads to rational practices. An antimicrobial stewardship program with good antibiotic prescribing (BPA) practices is an effective strategy for optimizing and rationalizing the use of antimicrobials. All health professionals in India must be sensitized to the rational prescription of antibiotics. This, combined with an effective patient education for not taking antibiotics unnecessarily, can help optimize the use of antimicrobials in Indian hospitals. Such optimization is urgent, given that almost 90% of estimated global antibiotic-resistant deaths come from low- and middle-income countries. However, the problem is that currently data on infection control practices in Indian hospitals are inadequate and their hygiene and sanitation is poor. There is also a lack of standardization around these aspects in the country's hospitals.

Dr. Arjun Srinivasan, Associate Director, Infection Control Programs Associated with Health Care, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US Department of Health, says antibiotic resistance is an urgent threat to the health of the world. The loss of effective antibiotic therapy may make deadly again infections that can only be treated once and jeopardize the delivery of modern drugs. One of the best ways to preserve the power of lifesaving antibiotics is to improve the way we use them, a concept known as "antibiotic management". Its goal is to make sure everyone gets the right antibiotic when they need it. Improving access to effective antibiotics and how we use them will require partnerships between the public and private sectors, as well as patient engagement.

Dr. Alison Holmes, Director of the NIHR Health Protection Research Unit at Imperial College London and Public Health England stated that individually and collectively we all have the responsibility to preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics, which means that we must use them wisely. also reduce the need for antibiotics by maximizing actions to prevent infections.

Speaking about the challenges of early and accurate diagnosis of infectious diseases, Dr. Sanjeev Singh said that the results of traditional bacterial cultures and antimicrobial susceptibility testing, which can take up to several days, remain one of the main obstacles to optimal treatment. Currently available laboratory parameters, such as white blood cell count and reactive protein C, are not specific. These substitution markers may not lead to definitive treatment, but rather to empirical treatment. Advances such as rapid diagnosis, the syndromic approach that uses PCR (PCR) to exclude infections, a better diagnosis of virology, and the use of better markers such as procalcitonin can help in the early detection of infections.

He added that despite the increase in antibiotic resistance, I did not think that the world would enter the post-antibiotic era because of advances in technology and the use of rapid diagnostics. If such a condition is actually achieved, measures such as good hygiene practices, safe disposal of wastes, vaccination against vaccine preventable diseases and good infection control practices can help with the treatment. .

The Institute of Medical Sciences Amrita set up an antibiotic management program four years ago, which resulted in a significant reduction in the use of high-end antibiotics.

Posted on: October 29, 2018 at 14:22