Arterium to conduct a study of antibiotic resistance

The global problem of the development rate of antibiotic resistance is rather acute for Ukraine and other countries. In 2019, the WHO reported that 64% of people mistakenly treat colds and flu with antibiotics. In the same year a study by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that the number of infections resistant to antibiotics has increased by 30% since 2013 (from 2 to 2.6 million cases). This suggests that antibiotics may soon become ineffective even for common infections. The medical communities are concerned as at the same time antibiotics remain the only available treatment for bacterial infections of the upper respiratory tract and ENT organs. 

 Understanding the potential consequences of microbial resistance to antibiotics for patients and the necessity of taking measures to slow down this natural process and as a segment leader for antimicrobial medicines in Ukraine, Arterium is beginning a three-stage study of the sensitivity of bacteria to antibiotics. The purpose of the study is to determine the actual level of susceptibility of bacterial infections’ pathogens of the upper respiratory tract and ENT organs to antibiotics. This concerns groups of antibiotics which are most often used for treatment in Ukraine in particular for complications with COVID-19: macrolides, aminopenicillins, cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones.

 The company will conduct research in cooperation with clinical centres in Kyiv, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Lviv and Odessa. During the first stage, the clinical centres will collect biological material of patients-volunteers. During the laboratory stage, scientists from the Institute of Microbiological Research will study the collected micro-organisms and determine the sensitivity of the detected strains to antibiotics in accordance with international standards. “We plan to share the results of the study among health specialists and I hope that thanks to the joint efforts effective measures will be taken for the rational use of antimicrobials and for slowing down development of resistance,” – notes Oksana Stefanova, Arterium’s Head of Public Relations.

It should be noted that recently Arterium initiated the national information campaign “Antibiotics according to rules” which together with doctors helps fight the myths about the use of antibiotics and calls on everyone to be responsible during treatment with drugs.