Antimicrobial Resistance: First European Report on a Harmonized Action Plan

There is a weak correlation between antibiotic use in animals and antimicrobial resistance in humans, according to Rick Clayton of the International Federation for Animal Health (IFAH-Europe). This is also one of the conclusions of the first joint report* by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and the European Medicines Agency (EMA).   The first in a series, the report published by the three agencies compiles data from five European surveillance networks** that collected information from EU member states, Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland. This is the first integrated analysis examining the impact of antibiotic use on resistance in human, animal, and foodborne bacteria. This joint initiative, carried out at the request of the European Commission, aims to make better use of available data to strengthen surveillance systems for antimicrobial use and to harmonize the fight against antimicrobial resistance in human medicine and veterinary medicine at the EU level. As such, this analysis will inform the European Commission’s “Action Plan to Combat the Growing Threat of Antimicrobial Resistance.” Its findings will also help improve methodologies and establish priorities for halting the development of antimicrobial resistance. In terms of findings, the report notes that the use of certain antimicrobials in animals and humans is associated with bacterial resistance in both species. It also highlights significant differences in antimicrobial consumption among animals and humans across European countries. The study shows a relationship between this antibiotic consumption and the development of antibiotic resistance in both humans and animals. However, the correlation between animal consumption and the development of human antibiotic resistance varies and generally remains weak. Even though it is weak, this observed correlation only reinforces the need to continue promoting the responsible use of these drugs, particularly through Epruma, the European platform for the responsible use of medicines in animals (www.epruma.eu ). Its motto, “as little as possible, as much as necessary ,” is more relevant than ever, with the goal of maintaining the drugs’ effectiveness while also preventing and minimizing adverse effects. The report also acknowledges its own limitations. Certain broad conclusions require more in-depth analysis, particularly with additional data on antibiotic use by animal species, on antimicrobial consumption in hospitals across more countries, and on the monitoring of resistant bacteria in the normal flora of healthy and sick individuals. To be continued in the next joint report, coming soon.   * First joint ECDC/EFSA/EMA report on the integrated analysis of antimicrobial consumption and the emergence of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria from humans and food-producing animals.** European surveillance networks: EARS-Net, ESAC-Net, FWD-Net, the scientific network for zoonosis surveillance data, and the ESVAC network.