Antibiotic resistance: What's in the new report?

Antibiotics must be used selectively and as little as possible. The excessive or inappropriate use of antibiotics can contribute to the development of resistance in bacteria. The number of infections with resistant bacteria is increasing worldwide - also in Switzerland. Such infections can be treated with antibiotics only with difficulty or sometimes not at all.

New report on antibiotic consumption and antibiotic resistance in Switzerland

In order to assess the impact of measures taken, it is necessary to monitor antibiotic consumption and antibiotic resistance in humans and animals. Every two years, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) and the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) publish a comprehensive report on this subject. "Swiss Antibiotic Resistance Report", out.

The current report shows: Antibiotic use in human medicine remains about the same as in previous years. Almost 90 percent of antibiotics were used in the outpatient setting. In veterinary medicine, antibiotic consumption continues to decline.

Resistance data collected in humans since 2004 and in animals since 2006 show different trends: Antibiotic resistance has increased significantly in some bacteria, while it has remained stable or decreased in others.

Swiss population surveyed about antibiotic resistance

Like a current study by Demoscope on behalf of the Federal Office of Public Health shows that around one third of the population believes that antibiotics destroy viruses. However, antibiotics have no effect against viruses, they can only fight bacteria. Educational work is therefore still important in the fight against antibiotic resistance. Compared with the 2016 survey, the level of knowledge has increased slightly. This shows that women and people aged 40 and over are better informed about antibiotics than men and the younger respondents. A clear majority of all respondents know that taking antibiotics unnecessarily reduces their effectiveness (86 percent).

Measures against the spread of resistance

Resistant bacteria can be introduced and spread in many places. Various tools have been developed to reduce this risk:

• Biosecurity measures reduce the risk of introducing and spreading diseases. On the platform www.gesunde-nutztiere.ch, farmers can further educate themselves and check the biosecurity of their farm via an online questionnaire. With targeted biosecurity measures, they can prevent diseases and reduce antibiotic consumption. The platform was developed by the Vetsuisse Faculty Zurich together with the Cattle and Pig Health Service (SGD, RGD) on behalf of the BLV.
• Resistant bacteria can also be transmitted in healthcare facilities such as veterinary practices. To reduce this risk, the Vetsuisse Faculty Zurich, together with other experts, has published a hygiene manual. It contains many practical recommendations and sound background knowledge for veterinarians to prevent infections of humans and animals in veterinary practices. 
• In the agricultural sector, the project "Healthy hooves - the foundation for the future" was launched. Hoof diseases are usually painful, and lame animals have difficulty getting up and lying down. The risk of teat injuries and udder infections increases. Staff of the Vetsuisse Faculty Bern and the Cattle Health Service (RGD) advise affected farms on therapy and prevention on request. One of the aims is to reduce the use of antibiotics in the long term.

Source: Confederation