Public Health England report reveals an increase in antibiotic-resistant infections from the previous year

According to the Public Health England new ESPAUR report (English Surveillance Programme for Antimicrobial Utilisation and Resistance), there were an estimated 61 000 antibiotic-resistant severe infections in 2018, which means a 9% rise from the previous year. This equals to 165 new antibiotic-resistant infections in England every day. The same report also noted that most potentially serious antibiotic-resistant bloodstream infections rose by 32% between 2014 and 2018. The rise in antibiotic-resistant infections has occurred although the number of antibiotic prescriptions dispensed in the community reduced by 17%, and overall antibiotic consumption fell by 9% from 2014 through 2018.

Public Health England is urging the public to take antibiotics only when necessary and is starting up its third Keep Antibiotics Working campaign. The aim of this campaigning is to educate people about antibiotic resistance and to encourage them to follow their healthcare providers' advice on when antibiotics should not be used.

#TackleAMR

#testbeforeprescribing

Read full ESPAUR report: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/english-surveillance-programme-antimicrobial-utilisation-and-resistance-espaur-report