National surveillance data reveals increase in antibiotic resistant infections in England

New national surveillance data announced at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) annual conference has demonstrated an increase in antibiotic resistant infections and associated deaths in England.

Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria change and adapt to antibiotics over time. As a result, infections become harder to treat and the risk of serious complications, including bloodstream infections and sepsis, increases.

According to the latest data, an estimated 58,224 people in England had an antibiotic resistant infection in 2022, marking a rise of 4% since 2021, and deaths due to severe antibiotic resistant infections increased from 2,110 in 2021 to 2,202 in 2022.

Although antibiotic resistance occurs naturally, the inappropriate and excessive use of antibiotics can accelerate the process.

The use of antibiotics in England dropped from 2014 to 2020, with a significant decline in 2020 associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the latest data shows that total antibiotic prescribing rose by 8.4% in 2022 compared with 2021.

The increase in antibiotic prescribing has been partly attributed to decreased immunity and exposure to infections during the COVID-19 pandemic that may have underpinned the upsurge in the co-circulation of influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and group A streptococcus (Strep A).

Professor Jenny Harries, chief executive of UKHSA, said: “Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is not a crisis of the future, but one that is very much with us right now… Unless action is taken the availability of life saving treatments will only diminish and our ability to drive down infections will decrease, most likely impacting those in the poorest social circumstances worst.”

The report also highlights differences in antibiotic resistance burden in England across different populations, with Asian or Asian British ethnic groups experiencing almost double the proportion of antibiotic resistant bloodstream infections (34.6%) compared to white ethnic groups (18.7%).

There has been a strong focus from stakeholders across the healthcare sector, including governments and regulatory bodies, on tackling AMR.

Last month, the World Health Organization released a core package of 13 interventions to support countries when developing, implementing and monitoring national action plans against AMR.

The organisation also released a report earlier this year which highlighted the progress and the remaining gaps to combat AMR, outlining the ways that global health systems can stimulate research and development of new antibiotics.