Country-level association between antimicrobial consumption and resistance in Neisseria meningitidis: An ecological...

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Epidemiology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Prevalence of meningococcal resistance to cephalosporins and quinolones varies significantly across regions.
• The drivers behind these geographical variations in antimicrobial resistance remain largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between antimicrobial consumption and the prevalence of reduced susceptibility to cefotaxime and ciprofloxacin in Neisseria meningitidis.
• To determine if population-level use of specific antibiotic classes correlates with resistance in meningococci.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-effects linear regression model was employed.
• Data from 13 European countries on country-level prevalence of reduced susceptibility to cefotaxime and ciprofloxacin were analyzed.
• Population-level consumption data for cephalosporins and quinolones were correlated with resistance prevalence.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant positive correlation was observed between the prevalence of reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin and quinolone consumption (coef. 0.16, P = 0.003).
• Similarly, a positive association was found between cefotaxime resistance and cephalosporin consumption (coef. 0.1, P = 0.001).

Conclusions:

• Reduced susceptibility of Neisseria meningitidis to cefotaxime and ciprofloxacin is directly linked to the consumption of the corresponding antimicrobial classes.
• These findings underscore the importance of strengthening antimicrobial stewardship programs to mitigate the impact of antimicrobial use on resistance patterns.