Scientists warn against antibiotic resistance

Occurrence of antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to human health?

29/01/2013

Researchers are raising the alarm, because in Europe the number of antibiotic resistances is increasing steadily. 25,000 people now die each year in Europe from infections with resistant pathogens, in particular intestinal bacteria such as Klebsiella and Escherichia coli or tuberculosis bacteria play a central role here. According to the Academy of Sciences in Hamburg and the National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, this development represents a serious problem: Since the 1970s, fewer and fewer antibiotics are being developed, so that there is growing concern among experts that the need for them is increasing essential drugs could not be enough in the future: „Increasing numbers of infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria are contrasting with fewer and fewer new antibiotics“, so the warning of the scientists. Therefore, there is an urgent need for action, the experts continue, because as they write in a recent statement, belong „the global emergence of antibiotic resistance, according to WHO's assessment of the major threats to human health.“

Antibiotics kill or prevent bacteria from multiplying. According to Ansgar Lohse from the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, this happens because the drugs destroy the cell walls of the germs and intervene in the metabolism or the genetic material. Scientists postulate that the microorganisms defend themselves against a "natural phenomenon in evolutionary competition", because resistance can be transmitted to others by bacteria or can also be caused by mutations. Another problem is the exchange of pathogens between humans and animals.

Risk of medical regression
However, according to the scientists, there would now be a risk of returning to a situation that existed before the introduction of penicillin in the 1940s: „So far, three or four or five years after the introduction of an antibiotic, resistance has been discovered and one can count on the industry providing a new antibiotic“, says Werner Solbach from the University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein - but this is no longer the case today.

To change the situation, according to Solbach, the physicians would need new substance classes that harm the bacteria in a different way than before - the principle of "More of the same" would not help. However, contrary to this expert's recommendation, only four of the US and European licensed substances between 2000 and October 2012 would be based on new classes of antibiotics - and would only be used against the „gram-positive“ Pathogens act.

Antibiotics unattractive to the pharmaceutical industry
The reason for the inadequate re-development of antibiotics, the scientists see, inter alia, in a lack of incentives for the pharmaceutical industry - for these it was not attractive enough to bring new drugs on the market, because the treatment with antibiotics would be in most cases only a few Lasting days - the use of blood pressure, however, is in most cases necessary for years. If a new antibiotic is then introduced, the prescription would be held back and this rather than „reserve“ treated.

Academies give recommendations in the fight against the resistant pathogens
But what alternatives are there in the fight against the resistant pathogens? In order to reduce the spread of resistance and to develop new antibiotics, the opinion of the two institutions would require, on the one hand, stronger research efforts and, on the other, framework conditions „necessary to enable effective translation of scientific evidence into practice.“
In their opinion, the scientists provide starting points in the form of eight recommendations, which include strengthening basic research and improving the structural conditions for innovation. Here it is also important for the experts, „Facilitate and strengthen collaborations between industry and academic research to more efficiently link basic research resources with the diverse needs of pharmaceutical product development.“

The authors' eight recommendations also include facilitating clinical research and further developing or simplifying regulatory requirements for the development and approval of new antibiotics. Also, a limitation of the use of antibiotics in veterinary medicine and plant protection is required, as well as the need for education: „Workers in agriculture and the food industry should be given training on how to develop antibiotic resistance and what measures will reduce its occurrence“, so the recommendation of the scientists.

In addition, in the fight against increasing resistance to antibiotics, a continuous monitoring and recording must be carried out „important pathogens on all levels: locally to globally and across all departments in the clinic, ambulance and animal breeding“ and „researching the socio-economic, legal and ethical frameworks for the development of new antibiotics, identifying obstacles and finding solutions“, the authors continue. (Sb)

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Picture credits: Gerd Altmann