The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has raised concerns about the increasing difficulty in treating common infections such as urinary tract infections (UTIs), pneumonia, typhoid, and blood infections, due to rising resistance to antibiotics.
The findings were detailed in the ICMR's Antimicrobial Resistance Research and Surveillance Network (AMRSN) 2023 annual report, which analysed data from January to December 2023. This marks the seventh comprehensive review of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) trends in India.
The report examined 99,492 samples from public and private healthcare facilities across the country. These samples, collected from areas such as the blood, urine, and respiratory tract, were tested against bacteria like E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus.
Rising Resistance of E. coli and Other Bacteria
One of the report's most alarming findings is the increasing resistance of E. coli, particularly in intensive care units (ICUs) and outpatient settings. Common antibiotics, including cefotaxime, ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, and levofloxacin, have shown less than 20per cent effectiveness against this bacterium, according to the report.
Similarly, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa have developed significant resistance, especially to key antibiotics like piperacillin-tazobactam, imipenem, and meropenem. The report noted that the effectiveness of piperacillin-tazobactam has dropped from 56.8per cent in 2017 to just 42.4 per cent in 2023.
"E. coli isolates demonstrated a decrease in susceptibility to most antibiotics, with piperacillin-tazobactam dropping from 56.8per cent in 2017 to 42.4per cent in 2023, amikacin from 79.2per cent in 2017 to 68.2per cent in 2023, and significant declines in susceptibility to carbapenems," the ICMR report said.
Challenges in Treating Common Infections
The report highlights the growing difficulty in treating infections like UTIs, pneumonia, and typhoid as the bacteria responsible are no longer responding to widely-used antibiotics. This is especially concerning for gram-negative bacteria, which can infect critical parts of the body like blood, urine, and lungs.
ICMR researchers also flagged alarming resistance levels in bacteria causing gastroenteritis, particularly Salmonella typhi, which has developed over 95per cent resistance to fluoroquinolones, a commonly used class of antibiotics for treating severe infections.
"Continuous surveillance of antimicrobial susceptibilities is crucial for tailoring antibiotic treatments, optimizing patient outcomes, and controlling the spread of resistance," the report emphasised.
Urgent Need for Stricter Controls on Antibiotics
The ICMR’s findings underline the urgent need for stricter controls on antibiotic use to address the growing threat of resistance. The data, collected from hospitals and clinics nationwide, offer a concerning look at the reduced effectiveness of vital antibiotics used to treat severe infections such as pneumonia, sepsis, and respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases.
The report concludes with a call for immediate action to curb the rising threat of antibiotic resistance, warning that the future effectiveness of treatments for bacterial infections could be at serious risk if stricter controls are not implemented.
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