Antibiotic-resistant bacteria raise health EU concerns

Infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria are taking a hefty annual toll on human life, with at least 1,626 fatalities in Greece in 2015, according to a report by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

The report – based on data for 2015 from the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network (EARS-Net) regarding infections with antibiotic-resistant bacteria – said that 33,000 people die every year in the European Union and European Economic Area, prompting public health concerns over the proper use of antibiotics.

Published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases magazine on Monday, the report said the burden of these infections is comparable to that of influenza, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS combined.

Italy was hardest hit with 10,762 deaths from antibiotic-resistant bacteria in 2015. Given its population, Greece recorded the second highest number of deaths in 2015.