Antibiotic Prescriptions on the Rise in Baden-Württemberg
In an unexpected turn of events, more antibiotics were dispensed in Baden-Württemberg last year compared to the time when coronavirus was rampant. AOK Baden-Württemberg reported a 25% surge in antibiotic prescriptions compared to the previous year, approaching pre-pandemic figures. The trend for this year remains unclear.
AOK Baden-Württemberg's report encompasses antibiotic prescriptions for their insured patients over the past decade, from 2010 to 2022. They only considered antibiotics prescribed outside clinical settings and excluded locally effective agents, such as ointments and eye drops. Antibiotics are effective against bacterial infections but not against viruses, like those causing a common cold.
Various potential reasons underlie the surge in antibiotic prescriptions. First, the decrease in infections during the pandemic might have led to fewer antibiotics being prescribed as fewer bacterial infections called for treatment. Besides that, the number of group A streptococcus infections skyrocketed at the end of 2021, following the lift of lockdown measures. Group A streptococcus is primarily spread through direct contact or contaminated objects and necessitates antibiotic treatment. Given this circumstance, doctors probably prescribed more antibiotics to treat infections and prevent complications.
Hospitals often harbor bacteria resistant to most available antibiotics. Experts refer to this phenomenon as antibiotic resistance, defined as patients' failure to respond to an antibiotic when the bacteria causing their infection remain untouched. Multi-resistant pathogens are those that fail to respond to multiple, or even all, available antibiotics. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) estimates that around 50,000 individuals in Germany fall ill with antibiotic-resistant pathogens each year.
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The surge in antibiotic use is perhaps partially attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic's consequences. The pandemic exacerbated the misuse and overuse of antibiotics. This trend can hasten the evolution of bacteria resistant to antibiotics, resulting in an increase in antibiotic prescriptions even when bacterial infections decrease. Moreover, the pandemic induced an increase in healthcare utilization due to lockdowns and reduced mobility, potentially contributing to more antibiotic prescriptions.
Group A streptococcus infections, such as strep throat, frequently require antibiotic treatment. The emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains of GAS, as shown by recent investigations, emphasizes the urgency for effective antibiotic treatments. If GAS infections develop resistance to frequently used antibiotics like penicillin, healthcare providers might administer more antibiotics to manage these infections, contributing to overall antibiotic usage.
Further reasons for the rise in antibiotic prescriptions could be related to surveillance and stewardship gaps during the pandemic. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance and stewardship plays a pivotal role in monitoring antibiotic use and resistance patterns. Ineffective monitoring can result in overuse and misuse of antibiotics, potentially contributing to the overall increase in antibiotic use.
Enrichment Data was integrated into the base article. For context, the enrichment data was used to explain potential reasons behind the increase in antibiotic prescriptions and to add insights into relevant factors influencing antibiotic resistance and usage.
