Antibiotic resistance in Bangladesh rises 11% in 5 years: IEDCR

Antibiotic resistance in Bangladesh has increased by 11% over the past five years, with the effectiveness of several commonly used antibiotics decreasing by up to 82% this year, compared to 71% five years ago.

The Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) revealed these alarming statistics at an event at its auditorium on Wednesday, marking the release of the National Antibiotic Resistance Survey results.

Dr Zakir Hossain Habib, chief scientific officer of IEDCR, presented the key findings of the study, conducted from 2017 to June 2023. He noted that antibiotic-resistant bacteria are proliferating at an alarming rate in the country. It is notable that the resistance rate to linezolid-type antibiotics is 70% for patients in intensive care units, rising to 82% outside the hospital setting.

Additionally, drugs like carbapenem face an alarming resistance rate of 84%. Laboratory tests also revealed drug-resistant bacteria in 70% of urine samples, though the rate is lower in blood samples, at 10%.

Dr Zakir expressed concern about the prevalent trend of patients expecting antibiotics and doctors prescribing them even when unnecessary. He emphasised the need for a reversal of this trend through medical audits.

Antibiotic or antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses or fungi evolve over time, rendering once-effective treatments ineffective and making infections more challenging to treat.

The study, which involved approximately 40,000 samples from various medical colleges, hospitals, and diagnostic centres across the country, identified cefotaxime as the most commonly used drug this year.

In a significant revelation, the study found that eight of the 12 antibiotics used in the poultry industry were ineffective by at least 40% against the most commonly found bacteria, E. coli. In the case of ampicillin, tetracycline, and ciprofloxacin, the ineffectiveness rate reached almost 90%. These antibiotics from the watch group and reserve group were ineffective in treating diarrhoea, urinary tract infection, lung infection, and various wounds on the body.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr ABM Khurshid Alam, director general of the Directorate General of the Health Services (DGHS), expressed his concern about cephalosporin antibiotics becoming resistant to bacteria, making it difficult to save lives during surgeries.

He also highlighted the prevalence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis among surgery patients, underscoring the urgent need for measures to address the escalating crisis.

Prof Dr Tahmina Shirin, director of IEDCR, delivered the welcome address at the event. Prof Dr Titu Miah, director general of the Directorate General of Medical Education, and Prof Dr Ahmedul Kabir, additional director general of DGHS, spoke on the occasion.

The speakers highlighted the lack of blood culture facilities in district hospitals, contributing to indiscriminate antibiotic use. This practice, coupled with the aggressive marketing of pharmaceutical companies, promotes the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. To deal with this situation, the speakers advised stopping the sale of antibiotics without a prescription.