Study: Antimicrobial resistance rates rose in US hospitals during COVID-19
A new analysis of data on US hospital patients during the COVID-19 pandemic finds that patients tested for SARS-CoV-2 had a higher rate of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), researchers reported today in Open Forum Infectious Diseases.
To evaluate changes in AMR rates among hospital patients before and during the pandemic, researchers with Merck and Becton, Dickinson and Company analyzed record on adults hospitalized for at least 1 day at 271 US hospitals from July 2019 through October 2021.
All admissions with an AMR event, defined as a non-contaminated first positive culture for gram-negative or gram-positive pathogens of interest with reported non-susceptibility, were included in the analysis. The researchers evaluated overall AMR rates, comparing the pre-pandemic period (July 2019 through February 2020) with the pandemic period (March 2020 through October 2021).
Of the more than 5.5 million admissions evaluated, AMR events were detected in 35.4 per 1,000 admissions during the pre-pandemic period and 34.7/1,000 admissions during the pandemic period. Patients tested for SARS-CoV-2 had a significantly higher AMR rate than that observed in the pre-pandemic period (49.2/1,000 admissions for patients who tested positive, 41.1/1,000 admissions for negative patients, and 25.7/1,000 admissions for untested patients).
AMR rates among community-onset (CO) infections during the pandemic were lower compared with pre-pandemic levels (26.1/1,000 admissions vs 27.6/1,000), while AMR rates for hospital-onset (HO) infections were higher (8.6/1,000 admissions vs 7.7/1,000), driven largely by SARS-CoV-2–positive admissions (21.8/1,000 admissions). Multivariable analysis found that rates of AMR were associated with overall antibiotic use, rates of positive cultures, longer hospital stays, and higher use of inadequate empiric antibiotic therapy.
"While our data suggest no significant change in overall AMR rates during the pandemic compared to pre-pandemic periods, higher rates of AMR in SARS-CoV-2–positive HO infections have been observed," the study authors wrote. "To mitigate the potential-long-term impact of COVID-19 on AMR, it is critical to continue to monitor AMR rates in later stages of the pandemic, effective antimicrobial use, as well as strategies to control modifiable factors contributing to AMR, particularly in SARS-CoV-2–positive patients with HO infections."
Oct 17 Open Forum Infect Dis abstract
New One Health plan aims to address AMR, other epidemics
Four international organizations today released a new One Health Joint Plan of Action that includes a framework for collaboration on AMR.
The framework outlined by the Quadripartite Organizations—the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Organization for Animal Health, the United Nations Environment Programme, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations—calls for the organizations to do more to support AMR control at the country level.
Among the deliverables listed in the plan are helping low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) implement One Health-based AMR National Action Plans and providing technical support and guidance to help LMICs build integrated AMR and antibiotic use surveillance systems and develop AMR awareness campaigns.
The framework also calls on the organizations to coordinate the global One Health response to AMR, provide political advocacy, strengthen regional collaboration and global AMR governance structures, develop a prioritized research agenda, and conduct monitoring and evaluation of country-level efforts.
The One Health concept views the health of humans, animals, and the environment as intrinsically linked. Addressing AMR is one of six "action tracks" listed in the plan, which aims to improve the world's ability to prevent, predict, detect, and respond to health threats against humans, animals, plants, food, and the environment.
"Because AMR has multiple drivers and needs to be tackled on many fronts, a One Health approach is essential to ensure that all sectors and stakeholders communicate and work effectively together," the plan states.
Other action tracks include strengthening health systems, reducing risks from zoonotic epidemics and pandemics, controlling and eliminating vector-borne diseases, and strengthening assessment, management, and communication of food safety risks.
"It's clear that a One Health approach must be central to our shared work to strengthen the world's defences against epidemics and pandemics such as COVID-19. That's why One Health is one of the guiding principles of the new international agreement for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, which our Member States are now negotiating," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, PhD, said in a press release.
Oct 17 One Health Joint Plan of Action
Oct 17 WHO press release