Antibiotic use in Irish health service rising despite European aim to lower consumption

Antibiotic use in Ireland’s health service continues to rise despite efforts to cut consumption, according to a report from the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC).

However, it shows Ireland has made significant strides in reducing superbug infections.

Antibiotic consumption in Ireland increased by 1.5 per cent between 2019 and last year, the Stockholm-based disease watchdog said. This runs counter to a plan targeting a 20 per cent reduction in the consumption of antibiotics across Europe by 2030.

Overall, consumption across Europe fell by 2.5 per cent over the three-year period. This was largely attributed to “unprecedented” reductions in 2020 and 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic. Usage levels, which vary widely among EU countries, bounced back last year.

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Over use and incorrect use of antibiotics is one of the main factors behind growing resistance of many bugs to traditional treatments. Across Europe, there were more than 800,000 infections with antibiotic-resistant bacteria in 2020. These caused an estimated 35,000 deaths. More than 70 per cent of such infections occur in healthcare settings.

The overall burden of antimicrobial resistance is comparable to that of flu, TB and HIV/Aids combined, the ECDC said.

Antimicrobial resistance remains a serious challenge in Europe, according to the report, especially for the Klebsiella pneumonias bug, which is resistant to most antibiotics.

“Stronger interventions and actions to address antimicrobial resistance are urgently needed to further reduce unnecessary antimicrobial use and improve infection prevention and control practices to reach all targets by 2030,” Dominique Monnet of the ECDC told The Irish Times.

“These would have a significant positive impact on population health and future healthcare expenditures in the EU/EEA.”

In Ireland, an estimated four deaths per 100,000 people were attributable to antibiotic-resistant bacteria in 2020. In the worst affected country, Greece, the figure was 20 deaths per 100,000 people.

Incidence of the MRSA bug fell by 14.5 per cent in Ireland between 2019 and 2022, ahead of the 12.2 per cent average fall across Europe.

E.coli infections in Ireland dropped by 25.3 per cent and Klebsiella pneumonias infections were down 40 per cent – against an average rise of almost 50 per cent across Europe.

The ECDC says countries that use more antibiotics suffer more antibiotic resistance, while those that review and change prescriptions have lower levels of antibiotic resistance.

Tackling the problem involves the prudent use of antibiotics – only when needed, in the correct dose and for the correction duration – better infection and control, and the development of new antimicrobial agents, according to Mr Monnet.

Antibiotic resistance is also lower where hospitals have more single or isolation rooms, he noted.