European Antibiotic Awareness Day 2011: ECDC releases new surveillance data and real life stories of patients with resistant bacteriaArchived

On the occasion of the 4th European Antibiotic Awareness Day, ECDC releases new European-wide surveillance data on antibiotic resistance from the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network (EARS-Net).

According to the new data, resistance to last-line antibiotics is increasing in Europe. Several Member states report increasing percentage of Klebsiella pneumoniae, resistant to carbapenems - the major last-line class of antibiotics to treat infections with multidrug-resistant bacteria. The data also show that antibiotic resistance in general is increasing across Europe and represents a growing threat to the effectiveness of antibiotics.

ECDC has recently released two risk assessments on this subject. The risk assessment on the spread of New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM) published today stresses that NDM and other highly antibiotic resistant bacteria represent a risk for Europe as EU Member States lack the necessary surveillance systems and policies. Another recently issued ECDC Risk Assessment evaluated the risk to the citizens of Europe of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) spread through patient mobility.

The focus of this year’s European Antibiotic Awareness Day is to raise awareness about growing resistance to last-line antibiotics in Europe and to foster national campaigns across Europe. Activities to promote prudent use of antibiotics are taking place in 37 different European countries, including all member states of the European Union, during the week of 18 November. This year, a new video produced by ECDC and Euronews will feature real life examples of the experiences of patients affected by resistant bacteria. 

This year the US’s Get Smart About Antibiotics Week and the Canadian Campaign AntibioticAwareness.ca have being launched simultaneously during the week of 18 November in an effort to show global solidarity.