Antimicrobial Stewardship: Tweet Chats

Elevating Patient and Public Voices in AMR

AMR is a highly complex topic that has struggled to secure sufficient interest and participation from the public and patients. If we want to be successful in reducing the spread of AMR in our communities, we need to better understand how AMR is affecting people around us.

Storytelling, advocacy, and involvement of patients and the public are all necessary components of our work.

CIDRAP-ASP has partnered with The AMR Narrative to promote AMR advocacy, increase awareness, and develop a community of AMR champions and survivors.

Our Goal

We aim to equip patients and the public with the necessary knowledge to help them better understand AMR and issues related to it. Our goal is to promote and boost advocacy capacity to create a critical mass of people sustaining action for change.

Our Project

Throughout 2023, we will host a series of events in collaboration with The AMR Narrative to encourage meaningful conversations around AMR among healthcare professionals, patients and the public.

For more information regarding upcoming events, check the dedicated 'Events' page on The AMR Narrative website.

24 March: Sharing views about TB & AMR

Moderator: Francesca Chiara (@CIDRAP) & Vanessa Carter (@theAMRnarrative)
Date: 24 March 2023
Time: 4pm - 5pm UTC
Hashtag: #theAMRnarrative

Summary

According to the Global Tuberculosis Report 202 2, an estimated 10 million people fell ill with tuberculosis (TB) worldwide in 2021 and 1.6 million people died from TB. TB is one of the top 10 causes of death and the leading cause of death from a single infectious agent, worldwide.

TB is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis and is a life-threatening illness if not treated properly. Antimicrobial medicines are essential to the treatment of tuberculosis (TB).

Common antimicrobial treatments for TB are known as first-line drugs, which include isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol. These medications are typically administered for a period of six to nine months, and the exact combination and duration of treatment depends on the individual patient.

Despite the rate of infections have dropped and treatment success rate increased over the past few years, cases of drug resistant TB (DR-TB), including resistance to rifampim or isoniazid or to several drugs, are on the rise. Multidrug resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) TB are more difficult to treat, require lengthy and costly treatment and can expose people with TB to severe and life-threatening side effects. It is thought that at least 20% of people with MDR TB die every year despite receiving treatment.

When a person has a form of drug-resistant TB (MDR-TB / XDR-TB), second-line drugs such as fluoroquinolones may be used.

It is crucial for people with TB to have access to high-quality medications and complete their entire course of anti-TB treatment to ensure that the TB bacteria are completely eradicated. Inadequate TB treatment, lack of adherence and failure to complete TB treatment, and the use of poor quality TB drugs is contributing to the development and spread of drug resistant TB. Additionally, proper infection control measures such as covering the mouth and nose when coughing, and proper ventilation of living spaces, can also help prevent the spread of TB.

Given the interconnectedness of these global issues, AMR and TB strategies should work alongside. In particular, recognizing the role that people with TB can play in raising AMR awareness.

We would like to thank TB Proof for their support in designing this event.

Questions:
T1: What is AMR and why is it a problem in people affected by Tuberculosis?
T2: Why are people with TB so badly affected by AMR infections?
T3: How might we reduce the incidence of infection/improve treatment options for people with TB with consideration to AMR?
T4: What is antimicrobial stewardship and how can it support patients with TB?

T5: Effective treatments are key. How can we overcome challenges to the affordability and availability of high-quality TB drugs?
CT: Any thoughts you would like to add about the impact of AMR and TB?

How to participate:
Join us for a 60-minute Twitter chat with our panel experts. All stakeholders are welcome.

Start your answers with T1, T2, T3, T4, T5 or CT for transcript purposes.
Answer only after the moderator prompts. Questions will be prompted every 10 minutes but keep answers coming using the relevant T and number. Both panel experts and the public are encouraged to answer.
Use the #theAMRnarrative hashtag in all your tweets so that you are visible to others in the chat and captured on transcript.

Notes: Prior to the event, review the University of Minnesota's Social Media House Rules for a code of conduct applicable to this event.

11 April: Why is antimicrobial resistance everyone's problem?

Moderator: Francesca Chiara (@CIDRAP_ASP) & Vanessa Carter (@theAMRnarrative)
Date: 11 April 2023
Time: 4 pm GMT (3pm UTC )
Hashtag: #theAMRnarrative

Summary

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an increasing concern that affects everyone globally. AMR occurs when microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites become resistant to the medications, also called antimicrobials, which were designed to treat them. These also means that antimicrobials become less effective.

Patients with AMR infections may require lengthier treatments and longer hospital stays. AMR is associated with increased morbidity and mortality rates, and higher healthcare costs.

One of the most concerning characteristics of AMR is that it can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, or location. Patients with weakened immune systems, such as the elderly, young children, and those with chronic illnesses, are particularly vulnerable to the effects of AMR. Equally, patients undergoing chemotherapy or other immunosuppressive treatments are also at higher risk of developing AMR infections. It is crucial that we safeguard these life-saving medicines so that they continue to work.

To tackle AMR, it is important to utilise a multidimensional approach that includes both individual and societal changes following a One Health approach. One Health incorporates human and animal health, food production and farming as well as the environment.

Patients can help to reduce the spread of resistant infections by practicing good hygiene, taking antimicrobials only when necessary, and completing the full course of treatment as prescribed. Healthcare providers can also play a critical role by prescribing antimicrobials cautiously and applying infection prevention and control measures to reduce the spread of resistant microorganisms in all clinical settings.

However we choose to play a role in reducing the spread and evolution of AMR, everyone of our contributions matter.

Questions:

T1: What is Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and why is it a problem for everyone?
T2: What can patients and the public do to reduce Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)?
T3: What can health professionals do to reduce Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)?
T4: Why is Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) an issue in food safety and farming and what impact can that have on patients and the public?
T5: What can the public do to tackle Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) including in realms like policy, advocacy, education, etc.?
CT: Any thoughts you would like to add about why Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is everyone’s problem?

How to participate:
Join us for a 60-minute Twitter chat with our panel experts. All stakeholders are welcome.

Notes: Prior to the event, review the University of Minnesota's Social Media House Rules for a code of conduct applicable to this event.