Despite concerns about antimicrobial resistance during epidemics, doctors use all their tools to help patients fight Covid-19, an early sign that their efforts are not greatly increased, a CDC official told Axios.
Why it’s important: AMR is a growing problem, as the abuse or overuse of antibiotics creates resistant pathogens that cause more than 2.8 million infections and 35,000 deaths each year in the U.S.
What’s happening: Arjun Srinivasan, associate director of CDC of Healthcare Associated Infection Prevention Programs, says the long length of the hospital (average. Presents. .
- “People prescribe antibiotics because they are worried that the patient may have a bacterial superinfection [sometimes] “It’s really the signs and symptoms of covid,” Amy Mathers, an associate professor at the University of Virginia’s School of Medicine, tells Axis.
- “[W]And we don’t know what the disease pattern is yet and we are making a mistake in the direction of precaution [with a] “A form of over-prescription of antibiotics,” is also the clinical director of the Adult Antimicrobial Stewardship Program at the Youth Medical Center.
- Some recent studies have indicated that the proportion of COVID-19 patients with bacterial co-infection is low, with some saying that regular use of antibiotics is not recommended.
Threat level: One analysis found that 72% of Covid-19 patients received antibiotics that required only 8%, meaning that “the likelihood of an increase in AMR following this epidemic is real,” said Admiral Brett P., assistant secretary for health. Giroire said at a meeting. This week of the Presidential Advisory Committee for AMR.
- But, new preliminary information was found While antibiotic use as a whole remains – and is a matter of concern – it has declined from its optic in March and April and most AMR infections have not yet seen a major increase.
“We were all kind of very concerned that we would see this outbreak in antibiotic resistance. … So, I think we were glad to see that we have clearly patients there with covid who developed an immune infection, we didn’t see them. A large number that I think a lot of people were afraid of. “
– Arjun Srinivasan
Latest: Srinivas presented some preliminary CDC data to the Presidential Advisory Committee. In the findings of the initial antibiotic use of more than 1,100 hospitals with more than 20 million discharges, …
- There is no clear evidence that Covid-19 patients are more susceptible to bacterial and fungal infections than patients with influenza-like illnesses (ILIs) such as the flu and pneumonia. They were comparing ILI patients from January to March 2019 with Covid-19 patients from January to June 2020.
- The number of Covid-19 patients with a positive culture of highly resistant organisms increased last year. Was not higher than the patients, but “sporadic epidemics broke out” and the rate of acquired infections in the hospital was found to be higher.
- The one exception is more ESBL. The bacterial enzyme, which can break down antibiotics, was found in COVID-19 patients – it was found in last year’s ILI. 43% higher than patients. “Does this represent a growing presence of ESBL [overall] … or some unique sensitivity to ESBL in patients with COVD is unknown, ”says Srinivisan.
- But, the biggest AMR concern among hospitalized patients – MRSA – was 7% lower in Covid-19 patients than in last year’s III patients.
Big picture: Srinivasan says it is “extremely important” to focus on developing a new antibiotic development pipeline because “even if we make full use of it, it becomes less effective over time.”
What to watch: The FDA will hold a meeting next month to present a five-year strategic plan for the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS).
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