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A significant decline in antibiotic-resistant bacteria has been observed in European countries that have implemented measures to reduce antibiotic use in both animals and humans, according to the latest findings from the fourth joint inter-agency antimicrobial consumption and resistance analysis report.
Published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the report underscores the importance of concerted efforts in combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a pressing threat to public and animal health.
AMR poses a substantial risk, causing over 35,000 deaths annually in the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area, and imposing a significant economic burden of approximately €11.7 billion per year on healthcare systems.
To tackle this challenge, the Council of the European Union has recommended ambitious targets, calling for a 20% reduction in antimicrobial consumption (AMC) in humans and a 50% reduction in food-producing animals by 2030, as part of the European Commission’s Farm to Fork strategy.
The report’s findings reveal promising progress. Analysis of AMC and AMR trends in Escherichia coli from both humans and food-producing animals shows that decreased antibiotic consumption correlates with increased susceptibility to antimicrobials. Moreover, the report highlights the positive association between the reduction in AMC and a decline in AMR over the period from 2014 to 2021.
In 2021, human AMC stood at 125.0 mg/kg of biomass, while food-producing animals registered 92.6 mg/kg of biomass. Notably, total AMC in food-producing animals decreased by 44% over the 2014-2021 period, while remaining relatively stable in humans.
The report also identifies specific antimicrobials associated with resistance in bacteria from both human and animal sources, emphasizing the importance of targeted interventions. Measures to reduce AMC have proven effective in many countries, but ongoing efforts are essential to sustain and further advance these reductions.
Aligned with the European Commission’s One Health approach, the report advocates for sustained efforts to combat AMR at national, EU, and global levels, along with coordinated surveillance of antibiotic use and AMR in both human and animal sectors. Continued research in the field of AMR is also essential to inform future strategies.
The release of the statistical code used in these analyses aims to support further research, facilitating ongoing progress in the fight against antimicrobial resistance.
