Infections increasing as bacteria becomes resistant to antibiotics
This number of infections of E. coli, C. diff, MRSA, MSSA, Klebsiella spp. and P. aeruginosa bacteria has increased
Claire Miller
Emma ElgeeDigital Reporter
Stock photo of a hospital ward (Image: PA/Peter Byrne)
The number of infections recorded in Bath and North East Somerset has jumped by a quarter in a year - as the public is warned to be alert to the risks of antibiotic resistance.
There were 312 healthcare associated infections recorded in the Bath and North Somerset CCG area in 2018, according to data from Public Health England (PHE).
This includes infections of E. coli, C. diff, MRSA, MSSA, Klebsiella spp. and P. aeruginosa bacteria.
The number of infections identified were up by 28% from 244 in 2017.
There were two cases of MRSA in Bath and North East Somerset.
These are laboratory-confirmed cases of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria in the bloodstream that is confirmed resistant to any of meticillin, oxacillin, cefoxitin or flucloxacillin - all common antibiotics.
MSSA are cases of this bacteria that are still susceptible to these drugs - there were 54 cases in the area last year.
As well as this, there were 149 cases of E. coli.
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Testing on E. coli blood samples from the area found a third (32%) were resistant to one of the five key antibiotics used to treat infections.
That compares to 33% across England as a whole.
One in 14 cases (7%) were resistant to at least three of these antibiotics, compared to 6% across England.
PHE has relaunched its Keep Antibiotics Working campaign to alert the public to the risks of antibiotic resistance, urging people to always take their doctor, pharmacist or nurse's advice on antibiotics.
The campaign encourages people to only take antibiotics when needed, and not for conditions that would get better by themselves.
This can help prevent harmful bacteria becoming resistant, meaning that antibiotics may not work when they are really needed.
The number of antibiotic items prescribed in Bath and North East Somerset fell by 4% from 98,980 in 2017 to 95,179 in 2018.
Doctors in the area are also less likely to prescribe antibiotics than in other parts of England.
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Last year, an average of 1.4 antibiotic items were prescribed per 1,000 people per day, compared to 1.6 in the country as a whole.
PHE's latest report on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) shows 165 new antibiotic resistant infections every day in England.
The estimated number of antibiotic-resistant infections rose from 55,812 to 60,788 between 2017 and 2018.
Dr Susan Hopkins, AMR lead at PHE, said: "We want the public to join us in tackling antibiotic resistance by listening to your GP, pharmacist or nurse's advice and only taking antibiotics when necessary.
"Taking antibiotics when you don't need them is not a harmless act – it can have grave consequences for you and your family's health, now and in the future.
"It's worrying that more infections are becoming resistant to these life-saving medicines, and we must act now to preserve antibiotics for when we really need them.
"We have seen positive steps taken to reduce antibiotic use without affecting people's recovery when they are unwell, and GPs should be congratulated in their ongoing work to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use."
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There has been a 17% drop in antibiotic prescriptions written and dispensed in general practice since 2014.
The report found no evidence that reduced antibiotic use in primary case had led to more people being admitted to hospital with serious infections.
Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, Chair of the Royal College of GPs said: "GPs are already doing a good job at reducing antibiotics prescribing, but it can't be our responsibility alone – we need the public to understand that antibiotics are neither a cure nor an appropriate treatment for many minor self-limiting conditions and viral infections, and if a GP advises against antibiotics, they are doing their best for the patient's own good, and that of wider society."
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Royal United Hospitals