UK researchers lead fight against drug-resistant bacteria
Survey shows a decrease in antibiotic use by people since 2009 and a growing awareness that antibiotics do not kill viruses
UK researchers are involved in more than a third of the 15 new EU-funded research projects on antimicrobial resistance recently announced by the European Commission.
Seven of the new projects will work on developing novel antibiotics, vaccines or alternative treatments for drug-resistant microbial infections. Other projects set out to identify better methods to use currently available antibiotics, study antibiotic resistance within the food chain, or utilise novel nano technology for the delivery of antimicrobial drugs. The cumulative EU support amounts to €90m (£77m).
Three of the projects are being coordinated at the Universities of Oxford and Manchester and Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, which is working on an oral vaccination against the hospital bug, Clostridium difficile.
Researchers in the UK are also involved in a further three research projects involving the University of Cork, Erasmus universitair medisch centrum, Rotterdam and Institute Pasteur, France.
The news coincides with the publication of a survey showing a decrease in antibiotic use by people since 2009 and a growing awareness that antibiotics do not kill viruses.
But the good news in this survey is overshadowed by data released by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control which shows a marked increase in multi-drug resistant bacteria.
The antibiotic use survey revealed that slightly more UK respondents (41%) than the EU average (35%) have taken antibiotics in the past year. This represents a slight decrease (1%) since the last 2009 Eurobarometer survey (EU: –5%).
In addition, fewer UK respondents than the EU average said they had taken antibiotics for flu – 13% and 18% respectively. Some 8% said they had been used for a sore throat (EU: 11%).
The main source of information about the unnecessary use of antibiotics comes from GPs (22%), followed by TV adverts (19%) and newspaper articles/TV news (19%).
Unsurprisingly, doctors were voted as the most trusted source of information (88%), followed by pharmacies (51%).
When questioned on antibiotic knowledge, 32% of those surveyed in the UK answered all questions correctly, compared with an EU average of only 22%.
The announcements coincide with European Antibiotic Awareness Day, which takes place today (18 November).Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is estimated to cause around 25,000 deaths annually and more than €1.5bn (£1.28bn) in healthcare expenses and productivity losses in Europe alone.
During the last 16 years, the EU has invested around €800m (£685m) in research and innovation to fight AMR, including the 15 new research projects announced this week.
