The prevalence of the superbug MRSA has decreased in Malta, but the island remains one of the countries with the highest percentage of resistance, according to data released on the occasion of the 10th European Antibiotic Awareness Day.
Figures published today by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), show that in 2013 at least half of those with Staphylococcus aureus (SA) in Malta were resistant to antibiotics, and therefore had MRSA.
Malta has managed to cut down on MRSA blood infections, with the numbers dropping from three patients every two weeks in 2009 to one patient a month in 2015
This has gone now down to 37 per cent in 2016, meaning that out of the total of 97 people with SA at Mater Dei Hospital and within the community last year, 36 were resistant (had MRSA).
The data was released at a conference in Brussels called Keeping antibiotics working.
Over the past years, Malta has managed to cut down on MRSA blood infections, with the numbers dropping from three patients every two weeks in 2009 to one patient a month in 2015.
Other figures for Malta show that resistance has, however, increased when it comes to E.coli (Escherichia coli), which is one of the most frequent causes of bloodstream infections and community-associated urinary tract infections worldwide.
The ECDC is especially calling for close attention to antibiotic resistance in E.coli healthcare, as resistance to commonly-used antibiotics continues to increase throughout Europe.
E.coli Resistance in Malta has increased from 8.7 per cent in 2013 (when there were approximately 242 infected people) to 14.6 per cent in 2016 (approximately 328 infected people).
Numbers for VRE (Vancomycin-resistant enterococci) have also increased, but these are relatively low, antibiotic pharmacist at the Infection Control Unit Peter Zarb said.
Until a few years back there were rarely any VRE cases in Malta. This infection usually affects people with very weak immune systems who would have had multiple courses of antibiotics.
With increasing resistance even to last-line antibiotics, “we face a frightening future where routine surgery, childbirth, pneumonia and even skin infections could once again become life threatening.”
Dr Zarb explained that when it comes to E.coli, this could be treated unnecessarily by broad spectrum antibiotics prescribed by GPs within the community. Family doctors in Malta are this week being roped in for an information session as part of the local authorities’ awareness raising programme.
Meanwhile in Brussels, the ECDC expressed concern that last year, combined resistance to several antibiotic groups continued to increase for E-coli and Acinetobacter species. In Malta the latter affected fewer than 10 people in 2016.
European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytenis Andriukaitis noted that with increasing resistance even to last-line antibiotics, “we face a frightening future where routine surgery, childbirth, pneumonia and even skin infections could once again become life threatening.”
“To preserve our ability to effectively treat infections in humans and animals, we need to bridge differences between EU Member States and raise the level of all of them to that of the highest performer,” he added.
This was the key objective of the new EU One Health action plan against Antimicrobial Resistance adopted this June.
Read: Europe steps up fight against superbugs
For most bacteria reported to the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network for 2016, antibiotic resistance percentages varied widely across Europe.
However, resistance was generally higher in southern and south-eastern Europe than in northern Europe.
The percentage of MRSA decreased significantly at EU and EEA level between 2013 and 2016, but MRSA remained a public health priority in Europe, as 10 out of 30 countries reported percentages above 25 per cent.
Contrary to common perception, MRSA is not a virus, but a bacteria, therefore it is treated by antibiotics. Dr Zarb noted that meanwhile, influenza was not caused by bacteria, so antibiotics could not treat it.
Misuse of antibiotics does not only have a negative effect on the person consuming the antibiotics, but actually effects global resistance.
European Antibiotic Awareness Day is coordinated by ECDC, which provides a platform and support for national campaigns on the prudent use of antibiotics. Each year, EAAD is marked by national campaigns during the week of November 18. Prudent use means only using antibiotics when they are needed, with the correct dose, dosage intervals and duration of the course
http://antibiotic.ecdc.europa.eu