Microbial resistance: Greeks are the top consumers of antibiotics

Greece was first in antibiotic consumption in 2023 - EU targets for better control and reducing antimicrobial resistance.

Antimicrobial resistance remains a serious threat to public health in Europe, with antibiotic consumption at high levels, with an increase of 1% in 2023 compared to 2019.

Greeks were the largest consumers of antibiotics last year, while resistance to specific pathogens shows alarming trends.

The above data, from the latest reports of the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), show that most countries will deviate from the objectives set by the European Union (EU) on the resistant microbes until 2030.

Regarding antimicrobial resistance, although methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections decreased, carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae infections, a major challenge for hospital patient care due to limited treatment options, increased by (57.5%).

Achieving the EU's goals requires intensifying efforts, mainly in preventing and controlling infections in hospitals, rationally using antibiotics, and developing new antimicrobial therapeutic options.

According to the European Antibiotic Consumption Surveillance Network (ESAC-Net) report for 2023, Greece ranks first in the EU/European Economic Area (EEA) in antibiotic consumption, with a total consumption (primary and secondary care) of 28.5 of daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day, well above the EU average (20 daily doses) and more than three times (3.24 times) than the Netherlands, which is in last place (8.8 daily doses).

At the primary care level in the EU, the community's use of antibiotics represents 90% of the total consumption of antimicrobials, while the trend towards the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics is increasing.

In particular, the average consumption was 18.3 daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants, with the range per country from 8.8 to 26.7 (Greece).

The groups of antibiotics that were consumed the most were penicillins (47%), macrolides, lincosamides, and streptogramins (17%), cephalosporins and other beta-lactams (12%), and tetracyclines (9%).

ESAC-Net observes a significantly increased consumption of broad-spectrum antibiotics (penicillins, cephalosporins, macrolides, quinolones), which is linked to increased antimicrobial resistance.

ECDC favours public education and information campaigns as key tools to reduce the uncontrolled use of antibiotics for viral infections that do not require antibiotic treatment.

At the hospital level (secondary), the European average was 1.61 daily doses per 1,000 population, with the lowest (0.77) in the Netherlands and the highest (3.17) in the Czech Republic.

Find the entire report HERE.

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