23 Sept 2024 • The ICMR’s Antimicrobial Resistance Research and Surveillance Network released its 2023 annual report, the seventh comprehensive review of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) trends, based on data collected from January to December 2023. The findings show a worrying increase in antibiotic resistance nationwide.

• The report analysed a total of 99,492 samples collected from both public and private healthcare facilities across the country between 1 January and 31 December 2023.
• One of the key findings of the AMRSN report is the rising resistance of E. coli, especially in intensive care units (ICUs) and outpatient settings.
• ICMR researchers have identified alarming resistance levels in bacteria causing gastroenteritis, such as Salmonella typhi, which have developed over 95% resistance to fluoroquinolones, a widely used class of antibiotics for treating severe infections.
• The report also highlights the growing difficulty in treating diseases like urinary tract infections (UTIs), blood infections, pneumonia, and typhoid, as the bacteria responsible are no longer responding to common antibiotics. It particularly emphasises the challenges posed by gram-negative bacteria.

Source: ICMR | Read full story