Antibiotics overuse leading to exponential rise in 'super bugs' finds study

By Dr. Ananya Mandal, MDMar 28 2018

According to scientists from the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics and Policy (CDDEP), Princeton University, ETH Zurich and the University of Antwerp in Belgium, overuse of antibiotics has led to a situation that super bugs or bugs that are resistant to most antibiotics are on an exponential rise. These microbes are typically not responsive to the antibiotics that they were initially responsive to.

The study titled, “Global increase and geographic convergence in antibiotic consumption between 2000 and 2015,” appeared this week on the 26th March 2018 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Closeup of purple staph bacteria in computer generated image. Image Credit: Ezume Images / Shutterstock

The new research shows that antibiotic usage has risen by 39 percent globally between 2000 and 2015. This had raised the threat of antibiotic resistance. Over these 16 years human consumption of antibiotics has risen to 42 billion doses a year, the study found. This is a 65 percent rise the study noted. The study estimated that global antibiotic consumption in 2030 shows that it could up to 200 percent higher than in 2015.

The scientists analysed data from 76 countries and they noted that antibiotic use has increased exponentially especially in low and middle income countries. In the high income countries there is a slight decrease of antibiotic use in high income countries. They noted that several cases antibiotics are prescribed for common colds that are caused by viruses. These are non-responsive to antibiotics. Indiscriminate use of antibiotics in these cases lead to resistance of several other bacteria.

Study co-author Eili Klein, a researcher at the CDDEP says, “A place like India, which has one of the highest populations in the world, saw enormous gains in antibiotic use both overall and on a per capita gain basis.” “Finding workable solutions is essential, and we now have key data needed to inform those solutions…Now, more than ever, we need effective interventions, including stewardship, public education, and curbing overuse of last-resort antibiotics…In high-income countries reducing inappropriate use has not really...in most countries ... driven down per capita use rates in the last 15 years,” Klein says.

Study co-author and CDDEP Director Ramanan Laxminarayan says that the United Nations General Assembly has acknowledged that antibiotic resistance is a global threat but little or no constructive action has been taken to combat it. He said, “We must act decisively and we must act now, in a comprehensive manner, to preserve antibiotic effectiveness…That includes solutions that reduce consumption, such as vaccines or infrastructure improvements, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries. New drugs can do little to solve the resistance problem if these drugs are then used inappropriately, once they are introduced.”

The study authors conclude, “Reducing global consumption is critical for reducing the threat of antibiotic resistance.”