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Issue 42,
19 November 2009
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Antibiotic resistance is a global threat to public health that can only be solved by a world working together
By Otto Cars, MD. PhD, Professor, Chairman of Strama (Swedish strategic programme against antibiotic resistance) and Director of ReAct (Action on antibiotic resistance)
We have used and misused antibiotics for decades. Consequently, they are losing their effectiveness at an alarming pace. At the same time, very few antibiotics are being developed that can overcome resistance. Already, infections with antibiotic-resistant bacteria are reported to claim at least 25 000 lives in the EU each year.
Several EU countries have focused on different aspects of antibiotic resistance during their presidencies. The Swedish EU presidency recently hosted a conference on “Innovative incentives for effective antibacterials”. The aim was to explore ways of creating incentives for the development of new antibiotics, including regulatory mechanisms and innovative financial instruments to reduce the gap between the burden of antibiotic resistance and antibacterial drug development.
Appropriate and responsible use of antibiotics is essential to slow the emergence and spread of resistant bacteria. One example of the problem is the inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics in primary care for respiratory tract infections. Recently, researchers of the EU funded network of excellence GRACE looked at variations across Europe in antibiotic use to treat acute coughs and the effects on recovery. They found large dissimilarities between countries that were not justified on clinical grounds.
Antibiotic prescribing in primary care is one of the focus areas of the second European Antibiotic Awareness Day on 18 November 2009. It was also agreed at the EU-US summit on 3 November to establish a transatlantic taskforce on urgent antimicrobial resistance issues. A concerted global response is needed to address rising rates of antibiotic resistance. Otherwise, we will return to the pre-antibiotic era.
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Journalist Prize - Swedish finalist article: "Resistant bacteria considered as great a threat as climate change"
Journalist Prize - Swedish finalist article: "Resistant bacteria considered as great a threat as climate change"
Launch of new EU Pandemic H1N1 site
The Pandemic H1N1 website of the European Commission's Directorate General for Health and Consumers has been reorganised and given a modern, fresh and user-friendly layout.
Launch of new EU Pandemic H1N1 site
The Pandemic H1N1 website of the European Commission's Directorate General for Health and Consumers has been reorganised and given a modern, fresh and user-friendly layout.
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Germany
Health in East and West - the wall came down here as well
The report "20 years after the fall of the wall: How has health in Germany evolved?" shows the evolution of public health in reunified Germany.
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Experts urge prudent antibiotic use to combat resistance
On European Antibiotic Awareness Day 18 November 2009, new European-wide surveillance data on antibiotic resistance from the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (EARSS) shows that the development of antibiotic resistance represents a growing threat to the effectiveness of antibiotics.
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Risk Assessment Day (20 November 2009)
This session aims to promote dialogue between scientists advising the Commission on risk assessment and European stakeholders.
Second European Public Health Conference ( 25 - 28 November 2009)
The second joint European Conference on Public Health is at Lodz, Poland. The conference is jointly organised by: EUPHA, the European Public Health Association and ASPHER, the Association of Schools of Public Health in the Europe.
World AIDS Day(1 December 2009)
Started on 1st December 1988, World AIDS Day is about raising money, increasing awareness, fighting prejudice and improving education. World AIDS day 2009, 'Universal Access and Human Rights', is important in reminding people that HIV has not gone away, and that there are many things still to be done.
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Technical report by ECDC - The bacterial challenge: time to react
A call to narrow the gap between multidrug-resistant bacteria in the EU and the development of new antibacterial agents
Technical report by ECDC - The bacterial challenge: time to react
A call to narrow the gap between multidrug-resistant bacteria in the EU and the development of new antibacterial agents
ECDC publishes the Annual Epidemiological Report 2009
The third annual report on the epidemiology of 47 communicable diseases and two health issues across the European Union and European Economic Area has been published.
ECDC publishes the Annual Epidemiological Report 2009
The third annual report on the epidemiology of 47 communicable diseases and two health issues across the European Union and European Economic Area has been published.
European Antibiotic Awareness Day 2008
The first Europe-wide public information campaign on prudent antibiotic use: methods and survey of activities in participating countries
European Antibiotic Awareness Day 2008
The first Europe-wide public information campaign on prudent antibiotic use: methods and survey of activities in participating countries
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European Antibiotic Awareness Day, 18 November 2009
Activities at EU level
Antimicrobial resistance
ECDC - European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
Antimicrobial resistance
European Commission – Health and Consumers
Information on antimicrobial drug resistance
European Commission – Research
News
European Antibiotic Awareness Day Film
The EAAD film provides a 5-minute overview of the threat posed by antibiotic resistance and strategies to keep antibiotics effective for the use of future generations. To view the video, click the link.
Health Programme Projects
e-Bug – Development and dissemination of an educational programme on antibiotics & hygiene
BURDEN – burden of disease & resistance in European nations
ABS International – implementing antibiotic strategies for appropriate use of antibiotics in hospitals
Other interesting links
ESAC - European Surveillance of Antimicrobial Consumption
EARSS - Antimicrobial resistance surveillance system
GRACE - European Network of Excellence to combat resistance to antibiotics in the community
STRAMA – Swedish strategic programme against antibiotic resistance
WHO - Antimicrobial resistance
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