[Microbial sensitivity of Escherichia coli in community-acquired urinary tract infections]

New drugs against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria: a systematic review of patents

Background: Antimicrobial resistance has been a threat to human health ever since the accelerated consumption of antibiotics began. Materials & methods: The present systematic review was carried out using a free and specialized online database - Espacenet - and a survey for patents of antimicrobial agents from 2010 to 2021, selecting 33 recent patents that claimed compounds with antimicrobial activity against resistant strains of Gram-negative bacteria. Results: Some different and new approaches to the development of the patented antibacterial agents were identified, such as antimicrobial peptides, nanomaterials and natural extracts. Conclusion: Some alternatives to modern antibiotics with diminished effectiveness due to antimicrobial resistance were spotted. Nevertheless, many challenges remain to establish a robust and sustainable antibacterial R&D pipeline.

Attitudes of primary care physicians to the prescribing of antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance: a qualitative study from Spain

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Resistance to antibiotics is a public health threat. A number of studies confirm the relationship between antibiotic use and the resistance rate. As a whole, physicians represent a large proportion of the health professionals involved in the use of this therapeutic group. Our study therefore sought to ascertain the opinions and attitudes of GPs in Spain with respect to antibiotics and resistance.

METHODS

We used the focus group (FG) method, with each group comprising 4-12 primary care physicians and a moderator. Based on a previous systematic review, we drew up an agenda to be followed during the holding of the sessions. Group proceedings were recorded and the transcriptions then analysed separately by two researchers.

RESULTS

Five FGs were formed, including a total of 33 physicians. The factors/attitudes that influenced the prescribing of antibiotics by GPs were fear, complacency, insufficient knowledge and external responsibility of the pharmaceutical industry, patients and over-the-counter antibiotics. The groups felt that antibiotic resistance was not a problem at a community level.

CONCLUSIONS

Identification of attitudes/knowledge related with inappropriate antibiotic prescribing will enable specific interventions to be designed, with the aim of targeting these shortcomings to improve antibiotic use and help reduce resistance.

Sensibilidad microbiana de escherichia coli en bacteriurias en el área sanitaria del bierzo en el año 2003

OBJECTIVE

Sensitivity to antibiotics of Escherichia coli isolated from intrahospital and extrahospital bacteriurias is analyzed.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Sensitivity to nineteen antibiotics used in the clinical practice was determined in strains of Escherichia coli isolated from intrahospital and extrahospital bacteriurias.

RESULTS

The prevalence of in-vitro susceptibilities to antibiotics were (hospital, state health service clinic, health center-primary-care): imipenem (100%-100%-100%; p=NS), amikacin (100%-100%-99.7%; p=NS), fosfomicyn (98.6%-98.4%-99.6%; p=NS), cefepime (96%-96.9%-98.3%; p=NS), piperacillin-tazobactam (96%-95.3%-96.6%; p=NS), aztreonam (93.5%-94.7%-97.7%; p<0.001), ceftazidime (93.5%-94.3%-97.8%; p<0.001), cefotaxime (93.1%-95%-97.7%; p<0.001), cefixime (92.7%-94.6%-96.7%; p<0.05), nitrofurantoin (92%-94.7%-94.7%; p=NS), cefuroxime (88.4%-93.1%-95%; p<0.001), amoxicillin-clavulanic (87.7%-88.7%-93.8%; p<0.001), tobramicyn (87%-93.7%-93.8%; p<0.001), gentamcin (85.9%-92.8%-93%; p<0.001), cefazolin (84.4%-88.7%-91.6%; p<0.01), ciprofloxacin (63.8%-71.4%-78.4%; p<0.001), norfloxacin (63%-70.8%-78.2%; p<0.001), cotrimoxazole (65.2%-68.6%-74.9%; p<0.01) and ampicillin (35.5%-42.5%-47.8%; p<0.01). (*NS= No significant differences).

CONCLUSIONS

The knowledge of the sensitivity of uropathogens to antimicrobians can allow us to initiate empirical therapy of urinary tract infections.