Over 35,000 annual deaths in Europe linked to drug-resistant superbugs – report

More than 35,000 people in Europe die from infections linked to drug-resistant superbugs each year, according to new estimates.

Deaths are rising for infections attributed to almost all infections with antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) says in a report.

The health impact of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is comparable to that of influenza, tuberculosis and HIV/Aids combined, according to the disease watchdog.

The estimated number of deaths in the report examines the years 2016 to 2020 and shows an increase from previous estimates.

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“We see concerning increases in the number of deaths attributable to infections with antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, especially those that are resistant to last-line antimicrobial treatment” said Andrea Ammon, the centre’s director.

“Each day, nearly 100 people die from these infections in the EU/EEA. Further efforts are needed to continue to reduce unnecessary antimicrobial use, improve infection prevention and control practices, design and implement antimicrobial stewardship programmes and ensure adequate microbiological capacity at national level.”

Last month, a separate study estimated that 1,770 Irish patients died with a drug-resistant infection in 2019, with 370 of these death directly attributable to a superbug.

According to the centre, the number of reported cases of Acinetobacter species resistant to different antimicrobial groups in 2021 was more than double (+121 per cent) than the average for 2018−2019.

The percentage of Klebsiella pneumoniae cases that are resistant to carbapenems – an antibiotic often used as a last resort - grew by 31 per cent in 2020 and a further 20 per cent last year. Both pathogens are difficult to eradicate once established in hospitals and other healthcare settings.

Meanwhile, the number of Candida auris cases nearly doubled between 2020 and 2021 and were considerably higher than in previous years. Candida auris is a fungal pathogen that causes outbreaks of invasive healthcare-associated infections and can be resistant to multiple antifungal agents.

The total use of antimicrobials in humans in the health systems fell 23 per cent between 2012 and 2021. Health experts have long counselled that our use of antibiotics and other antimicrobials has to reduce to preserve the effectiveness of products against increasingly resistant organisms.

While noting this achievement, the ECDC said there has been an increase in the proportion of “broad-spectrum” antibiotics used, in particular in hospitals. Between 2012 and 2021 in hospitals, consumption of these antibiotics increased by 15 per cent, consumption of carbapenems by 34 per cent and the proportion of “reserve” antibiotics – which should be reserved for treatment of multidrug-resistant infections – more than doubled.

The lowest levels of antimicrobial resistance were reported by countries in the north of Europe, and the highest in the south and east of Europe.