The study highlights that efforts to control antibiotic usage are paying off.
Reduced and careful usage of antimicrobials has led to a “significant” decline in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in community and hospital settings, finds a new study from the University of Limerick (UL).
A new research paper has found evidence which shows that AMR from different antimicrobials went down in humans by up to 24pc.
The study ties this to a general reduction in the daily doses of many antimicrobials consumed over the past decade.
The study, a collaborative ‘One Health’ initiative involving UL, the HSE Mid-West, the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine and various veterinary professionals was led by Prof Colum Dunne, the head of UL’s School of Medicine.
Escherichia coli (E coli) is one of the most common bacterial pathogens in humans and a good predictor for AMR.
For this project, the researchers analysed data from more than 125,000 E coli isolates collected from humans and bovines over a 12-year period in the mid-west of the country.
They found that in 2023, E coli accounted for 61pc of the human blood isolates and 25pc of all the urine isolates, while also representing 31pc of the bovine isolates they identified.
The study concluded that resistance patterns were lowest in bovine isolates and highest in human samples acquired from hospitals.
Relative to other countries in the EU, Ireland ranks high when it comes to penicillin consumption in humans. This is reflected in the study, which shows the highest rate of resistance was to aminopenicillin.
Meanwhile, there was a decrease of 24pc in ciprofloxacin resistance found in blood samples over the 12-year period the project analysed.
A decrease in AMR brings considerable benefits by reducing drug-resistant infections and increasing the effectiveness of antibiotic medicines.
“Most studies on antimicrobial resistance emphasise the threat to our future health. This is a rare study that describes how some of our efforts in prescribing and use of antimicrobials, especially antibiotics, are already making a difference and improving levels of potentially problematic resistance. It is encouraging,” said Dunne.
“This study highlights the positive impact that responsible antimicrobial use and stewardship programs have on combating AMR.
“It’s clear that a One Health approach, where we integrate human, animal and environmental health, is essential for addressing this critical global health challenge.”
Last year, researchers from UL and Queen’s University Belfast found the presence of a new bacteria that is resistant to many common antibiotics in a Limerick hospital.
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