Pandemic of antibiotic-resistant infections

We hardly remember what it was like in a world without antibiotics, where many bacterial infections were synonymous with death. But, almost a hundred years after the discovery of the first antibiotic, excessive and inappropriate use of these drugs is reducing their effectiveness and more resistant bacteria are increasing every day. This is already one of the most serious threats to public health today.

Stockholm, December 11, 1945. Award ceremony Nobel Prizes. Alexander Fleming excitedly begins the story of the discovery of penicillin, its extraordinary properties and its therapeutic potential. Penicillin is capable of eliminating bacteria that cause many common infections among people, without presenting toxicity or causing damage to the cells of our own body. Although its original discovery, in 1929, barely attracted the attention of the scientific community, years later, Ernst Chain and Howard Florey (with whom he shares the award) resumed work with this wonderful molecule until it was used as a medicine, which would change the history of medicine forever.

A great impact

El European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, together with the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development), have estimated the impact of antibiotic resistance in Europe. Every year there are 670.000 cases of infections caused by resistant bacteria, causing 33.000 deaths, of which approximately 3.000 occur in Spain. It is estimated that health, labor and social costs (hospitalization, medications, sick leave, etc.) amount to 1.100 billion euros. throughout Europe. If this 'pandemic of resistant infections' is not stopped, predictions predict that in the year 2050 there will be 390.000 deaths in Europe and about 40.000 in Spain. These studies point to a greater impact in southern and eastern European countries. Could there be a solution? To try to curb the impact of antibiotic resistance, the OECD and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control have calculated that it would be enough to invest one and a half euros per inhabitant per year in actions such as campaigns on the correct use of antibiotics, delaying your antibiotic prescription and improving hand hygiene. In this way, it is estimated that the number of annual deaths from resistant infections in the EU could be reduced from the current 33.000 to just over 6.000.

When a bacteria has become resistant to antibiotics by one of these mechanisms, its descendants (the 'daughter' bacteria) will also be resistant. Furthermore, some bacteria that possess enzymes to destroy or alter antibiotics can transfer these enzymes to other bacteria, even of different species, thereby spreading the ability to resist antibiotics among bacterial populations. These mechanisms contribute to increasing the incidence of antibiotic-resistant infections, and consequently, make it difficult to cure because to treat an infection caused by a resistant bacteria, other antibiotics must be used, which are often less active or more toxic to the patient.