UnimAginABLe
LOng TeRm
cOnseqUences classification for
antibiotics to preserve the
effectiveness of those that
are a ‘last resort’. The new
model comprised three
categories: ‘Key Access’
antibiotics that should be
widely available, ‘Watch
Group’ that includes
critically important
antimicrobials which
should only be used for
certain infections, and
‘Reserve Group’ antibiotics
for severe circumstances
when all alternatives have
failed.
The WHO in June 2017,
adopted a new As per Dr Sumanth
Gandra who was on the
and the Dominican
Republic. A quarter of the
169 vegetable samples
imported into Switzerland
from the four countries
revealed one or more
extended-spectrum beta-
lactamase (ESBL)
producing bacteria called
Enterobacteriaceae. Over
78 percent of the bacteria
were found to be multi-
drug resistant.
WHO’s expert committee,
“The categorization was
done not only to improve
access, but at the same
time to reduce the
potential for development
of antibiotic resistance,
and preserve the
effectiveness of ‘last resort’
antibiotics.”
“In India, resistance to last
resort drug “colistin” is
increasing in a bacterium
called K. pneumonia
which causes serious
infections among
hospitalized patients.
Unfortunately, we do not
have any antibiotics to
treat colistin resistant K.
pneumonia infections,”
says Dr Gandra, who is
also a Resident Scholar
and Fellow, Center for
Disease Dynamics,
Economics & Policy
(CDDEP).
Antimicrobial growth
promotion (AGP) use in
farm animals is increasing
worldwide in response to
the rising demand for food
animal products. Previous
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BioVoiceNews | November 2017