Clin Microbiol Infect. 2014 Jul 10. doi: 10.1111/1469-0691.12767. [Epub ahead of print]

Antibiotic resistance: A geo-political issue.

Carlet J1, Pulcini C, Piddock LJ.

Author information

• 1World Alliance Against Antimicrobial Resistance (WAAAR).

Abstract

Antibiotic resistance, associated with a lack of new antibiotics, is a major threat. Some countries have been able to contain resistance, but in most countries the numbers of antibiotic resistant bacteria continue to rise as well as antibiotic consumption in humans and animals. Antibiotic resistance is a global issue and concern all decision makers worldwide. Some actions have been undertaken in the last 15 years, in particular by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the European Centre for Diseases Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the Centre for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC), but those actions were partial and poorly implemented, without coordination. Very recently, some important activitieshave been carried out by the WHO. Since 2009, a task force between the USA and Europe, the Trans-Atlantic Task Force on Antibiotic Resistance (TATFAR), has been working on common recommendations. At a national level some important actions were implemented, in particular in European countries and in the USA. The Chennai declaration, in India, is also a good example of a multidisciplinary and national action, which was highly political. Finally several non-governmental non-profit organisations are also very active, and have helped raising awareness on the problem of antibiotic resistance. In the future, this global issue will need political involvement and strong cooperation between countries and between international agencies.