Continued efforts needed to fight AMR...

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Centre for Disease Control have publised a new report on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacteria from humans and food-producing animals in the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) countries. The report, which covers data from 2020, highlights the need for continued efforts to combat AMR, as well as the importance of a One Health approach to address this global challenge.

The report emphasizes the frequent observation of resistance to commonly used antimicrobials, such as fluoroquinolones, in Salmonella and Campylobacter bacteria from human and animal sources. Despite these challenges, there are positive signs, including very low combined resistance to critically important antimicrobials for human medicine in some types of Salmonella and Campylobacter coli in certain countries. A notable finding from the report is the increase in the proportion of Escherichia coli isolates from food-producing animals that exhibit complete susceptibility to antimicrobials. This, along with a decrease in the prevalence of E. coli isolates producing enzymes like ESBL or AmpC, which can render some antibiotics ineffective, indicates progress in the fight against AMR in food-producing animals across several EU Member States. The report also highlights the detection of carbapenem resistance in isolates from both humans and animals, albeit at very low levels. However, the increasing number of countries reporting bacteria producing carbapenemase enzymes in various animal species warrants attention and further investigation, given that carbapenems are a last-resort group of antibiotics.

The report also points out concerning trends, such as the increasing resistance to fluoroquinolones in Salmonella Enteritidis and Campylobacter jejuni isolates, usually associated with poultry. This is particularly worrying for public health, as fluoroquinolones are among the antimicrobials used for treating severe infections caused by these bacteria. On a positive note, one-third of the countries observed decreasing trends in macrolide resistance in Campylobacter isolates from humans, especially for C. coli, making macrolides more important for treatment as resistance to fluoroquinolones increases.

The report concludes by emphasizing the need for continued joint efforts to tackle AMR, advocating for a One Health approach that involves collaboration across different sectors, such as human health, animal health, and the environment. Key actions recommended include promoting prudent use of antimicrobials, supporting improvements in infection prevention and control practices, strengthening research and innovation in developing new antimicrobials, and ensuring that policies and procedures are in place at the national level to reduce the emergence and spread of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria.

The Report