ROME, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Italy's total consumption of antibiotics for systemic use increased in 2023, contributing to a rise in antimicrobial resistance, the National Health Institute (ISS) warned in a report on Wednesday.

The report highlighted that Italy ranked seventh among European Union (EU) member states for private antibiotic consumption in 2023, with usage levels estimated to be 15 percent higher than the European average.

On an individual level, antibiotic use averaged 22.4 daily doses per 1,000 people in Italy, marking a 6.3 percent increase from the previous year.

"Rising consumption and misuse of antibiotics are driving up bacterial resistance," the ISS said, noting that the Drug Resistance Index - which measures both consumption and resistance - climbed for several key microorganisms across most of the country. This trend, the report warned, could lead to more than the 12,000 annual deaths already estimated for Italy by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

Antibiotic consumption also surged among children up to nine years old, with 40.9 percent of those under surveillance receiving at least one prescription in 2023, up from 33.7 percent in 2022.

According to the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, antimicrobial resistance causes an estimated 670,000 infections and 33,000 deaths annually in the EU, making it a major public health threat. Enditem

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)