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According to an analysis by the same entity, in 2021 there were only 27 new antibiotics in clinical development against pathogens considered priority, compared to 31 in 2017.
Globally, the WHO and other entities are taking several measures to address the problem of bacterial resistance.
According to the expert, the situation increased the costs of treating these resistant infections, which can complicate the control of outbreaks of infectious diseases, since resistant bacteria tend to spread rapidly in the community or in health care settings.
Globally, the WHO and other entities are taking various measures to address the problem of bacterial resistance, among which are improved surveillance to collect and analyze data that allow the development of effective strategies for its control, the promotion of the rational use of antibiotics, educating and training health professionals in the appropriate prescription, and motivating them to carry out research that allows the development of new drugs.
In 2018, a study published by the journal Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control reflected the seriousness of this problem in Colombia. It appears that around 45% of Escherichia coli infections, and more than 50% of Klebsiella pneumoniae infections in Colombian hospitals, have demonstrated resistance to first-line antibiotics.
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However, in Colombia, the National Institute of Health (INS) has been constantly monitoring this situation since 1987, when it implemented laboratory surveillance of antimicrobial resistance for the bacterium N. gonorrhoeae, under the framework of the infection surveillance program of sexual transmission (STI).
Subsequently, in 1994 and through the System of Surveillance Networks of Bacterial Agents Responsible for Pneumonia and Meningitis (SIREVA II), surveillance for the bacteria S. pneumoniae, H. Influenza and N. meningitis began.
Since 1997, the INS Microbiology Group has implemented a laboratory-based surveillance system for the acute diarrheal disease (ADD) program and later, in 2012, antimicrobial resistance surveillance was established.
It is vitally important not to take antibiotics without first being prescribed by your doctor and to understand that these medications are not the solution for all infections.
On the other hand, “GIs, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, have a wide variety of pathogens, and without proper medical evaluation, it becomes difficult to determine the exact cause or urinary tract infections that may be caused as well.” due to irritation or inflammation of the urinary tract,” explained the expert.
For this reason, it is vitally important not to take over-the-counter antibiotics and to understand that these drugs are not the solution for all infections such as the common cold or flu.
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Also, follow the doctor’s instructions on how and when to take it. And, of course, do not stop taking the medicine before finishing the treatment, even if you feel fine, in addition to not sharing your antibiotics with third parties, since they are usually prescribed for a specific condition.
There are currently a number of adjuncts to antibiotics in development and in use to treat bacterial infections, many of which are still in the investigational stages and require further study to determine their efficacy and safety.
It should be noted that none of these alternatives completely replaces the need for prudent use of existing antibiotics to preserve their efficacy in the future.
