Antibiotic misuse

The Threat of Superbugs

The European Commission has made significant efforts to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Bulgaria, a country highlighted in this year's initiative, reports BNR.

There is an urgent need for new and innovative antimicrobial drugs to replace those losing effectiveness due to widespread use, according to a report released this week by the World Health Organization (WHO).

New data from the World Health Organization (WHO) underscores concerns over the global surge in antibiotic usage during the Covid-19 pandemic, potentially exacerbating the silent threat of antimicrobial resistance.

Deputy Director of the Infectious Disease Clinic, whom we often heard during the coronavirus pandemic, points out for Blic that doctors have long been warning about the inadequate use of antibiotics. Buying these drugs without a prescription has put everyone at risk, experts say, and has become one of the biggest global problems.

Bulgaria ranks first in the inadequate use of antibiotics. From November 18 to 24, we are organizing a week dedicated to antimicrobial resistance (AR) and COVID-19. This was stated by Elena Tsoneva-Papudjieva from the WHO in Bulgaria at a press conference dedicated to the awareness of antimicrobial resistance and COVID-19, a BGNES reporter reported.

Although the discovery of antibiotics is one of the most important medical breakthroughs, their abuse is a problem with social implications and unfortunately Greece ranks first among European countries in their consumption.

With more than 1,500 deaths reported annually from infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria, Greece is second behind Italy among European Union countries that are facing a health crisis, according to survey data presented in Brussels - ahead of European Antibiotic Awareness Day on Sunday - by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). 

The Health Ministry will introduce a quick test to determine the necessity of patients taking antibiotics in a bid to prevent excessive use of the medicine, as Turkey ranks top among Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries for antibiotic use. 

BELGRADE - Health organizations around the world are warning that the overuse of antibiotics, by both the healthcare and farming industries, has led to the rise of superbugs - bacteria, parasites and viruses that are resistant to treatment and could kill millions in the foreseeable future.