European Study on Antibiotic-Resistant Infections

Overview of the Study

A recent study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) highlights the impact of antibiotic-resistant bacteria on health in Europe. This research utilizes data from the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network (EARS-Net) for the year 2015, aiming to quantify the prevalence, years lost to ill-health, and mortality associated with five types of infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Assessing the Impact of Antibiotic Resistance

The study employs the disability-adjusted life year (DALY) metric to evaluate the health burden of antibiotic-resistant infections. A DALY represents the loss of one healthy year of life and is calculated based on the years lived with disability and the age at death in comparison to the standard life expectancy in a given country. This measure allows for comparisons across populations, helping to assess the overall health burden of various illnesses and to inform targeted prevention strategies.

Key Findings on Mortality Rates

Led by Dr. Alessandro Cassini, the research indicates that approximately 33,000 individuals die annually due to infections from antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The overall DALY rate was found to be 170 per 100,000 people, which has doubled since 2007. Notably, Italy and Greece recorded the highest DALY rates for these infections. The study also reveals that around 75% of the burden stems from healthcare-associated infections, with a significant portion—39%—attributed to bacteria resistant to last-line antibiotics such as carbapenems and colistin.

Significance of the Research

This study represents the first comprehensive assessment of antibiotic resistance in Europe, providing valuable insights into the scale and scope of the issue. Despite the challenges associated with estimating DALY data, the findings underscore the need for targeted healthcare initiatives and increased political commitment to combat antibiotic resistance.

References

Cassini, A., Högberg, L. D., Plachouras, D., Quattrocchi, A., Hoxha, A., Simonsen, G. S., … & Ouakrim, D. A. (2018). Attributable deaths and disability-adjusted life-years caused by infections with antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the EU and the European Economic Area in 2015: a population-level modelling analysis. The Lancet Infectious Diseases. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(18)30605-4

Murray, C. J. (1994). Quantifying the burden of disease: the technical basis for disability-adjusted life years. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 72(3), 429.