About this Research Topic
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is the hidden pandemic compromising the healthcare delivery system due to associated economic loss, increased length of hospital stays, morbidity and mortality. It is estimated that 4.95 million deaths were associated whereas 1.27 million deaths occurred due to AMR around the globe in 2019. Irrational and needless use of antimicrobial agents is one of the key factors involved in the development of AMR.
The ongoing pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has increased AMR due to the overconsumption of antimicrobial agents. Uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, fear of being infected, and acting as carriers to transmit COVID-19 to family and friends forced people to take drastic measures to protect themselves and their loved ones. This led to the self-medication of several medications, in particular antimicrobial agents, among the general population. Increased rate of antibiotics self-medication was also noticeable among the parents of school-going children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, antibiotic use markedly increased among COVID-19 patients without any bacterial co-infection or secondary infection. Antibiotics sale has also increased many folds since the emergence of COVID-19 and these agents are widely available to the general public without authentic prescription in most lower-to-middle-income countries. All in all, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated multiple factors attributing to AMR. Considering these points, this Research Topic aims to put emphasis on the main drivers of AMR during and after the COVID-19 pandemic in LMICs. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Self-treatment with antibiotics to prevent or manage infections;
- Public knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to antibiotics use;
- Prescribers’ views on antibiotics use and development of antibiotics resistance;
- Point prevalence surveys on antimicrobial use in various healthcare settings;
- Analysis of antibiotics consumption by AWaRe classification during the pandemic;
- Irrational use of antibiotics in common acute infections (e.g., common cold, flu, pharyngitis, otitis media, laryngitis, sinusitis, bronchitis, acute non-bloody diarrhea, etc.);
- Antibiotics expenditure during and after the COVID-19 pandemic;
- Changes in antimicrobial resistance patterns pre- and post-COVID-19 pandemic;
- Challenges of controlling the antibiotics crisis during the pandemic.
The ongoing pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has increased AMR due to the overconsumption of antimicrobial agents. Uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, fear of being infected, and acting as carriers to transmit COVID-19 to family and friends forced people to take drastic measures to protect themselves and their loved ones. This led to the self-medication of several medications, in particular antimicrobial agents, among the general population. Increased rate of antibiotics self-medication was also noticeable among the parents of school-going children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, antibiotic use markedly increased among COVID-19 patients without any bacterial co-infection or secondary infection. Antibiotics sale has also increased many folds since the emergence of COVID-19 and these agents are widely available to the general public without authentic prescription in most lower-to-middle-income countries. All in all, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated multiple factors attributing to AMR. Considering these points, this Research Topic aims to put emphasis on the main drivers of AMR during and after the COVID-19 pandemic in LMICs. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Self-treatment with antibiotics to prevent or manage infections;
- Public knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to antibiotics use;
- Prescribers’ views on antibiotics use and development of antibiotics resistance;
- Point prevalence surveys on antimicrobial use in various healthcare settings;
- Analysis of antibiotics consumption by AWaRe classification during the pandemic;
- Irrational use of antibiotics in common acute infections (e.g., common cold, flu, pharyngitis, otitis media, laryngitis, sinusitis, bronchitis, acute non-bloody diarrhea, etc.);
- Antibiotics expenditure during and after the COVID-19 pandemic;
- Changes in antimicrobial resistance patterns pre- and post-COVID-19 pandemic;
- Challenges of controlling the antibiotics crisis during the pandemic.
Keywords: antimicrobial resistance, AMR, COVID-19, LMICs, antibiotics, self-treatment
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