Socioeconomic enablers for contagion: these are the major factors responsible for our global antimicrobial resistance epidemic

Antimicrobial resistance is a growing global problem that causes increased deaths as well as increased suffering for people.

Overall, there are two main factors that drive antimicrobial resistance:

  • the volumes of antimicrobials used, and
  • the spread of resistant micro-organisms along with the genes encoding for resistance.

 

Importantly, a growing body of evidence points to contagion (i.e., spread) being the major, but frequently under-appreciated and neglected, factor driving the increased prevalence of antimicrobial resistance. When we aggregate countries into regional groupings, it shows a pattern where there is an inverse aggregate relationship between AMR and usage. Poor infrastructure and corruption levels, however, are highly and positively correlated with antimicrobial resistance levels.

Contagion, antibiotic volumes, poverty, governance, and the way antibiotics are used are profoundly affected by a host of social and economic factors. Only after we identify and adequately address these factors can antimicrobial resistance be better controlled.

About Peter

Professor Collignon is an Infectious Diseases Physician and Clinical Microbiologist at ACT Pathology and Canberra Hospital. He is also a Professor in the Medical School of the Australian National University. In June 2009 he was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for services to Medicine in Infectious Diseases, Microbiology and Infection Control.

He is active in many public health advocacy issues. Particular interests are antibiotic resistance, infection control and hospital acquired infections. He is the inaugural and current patron of the Australian College for Infection Prevention and Control.

His research is widely published and referenced in many Australian and International journals. He is member of many national and international committees, including as an expert to the World Health Organization (WHO) on the issue of antibiotic resistance and the use of antibiotics in food animals since 2000. In October 2017 he was awarded a PhD by thesis, examination and defence from Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam on the Topic of antibiotic resistance and One Health.