The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has released an eight-report highlighting a concerning trend of increasing antibiotic resistance in Indian hospitals. According to the report, antibiotic-resistant bacteria have increased by 91 pct over the past few years, rendering many drugs ineffective.
The report`s key findings are based on an analysis of 99,027 culture-positive samples, taken from hospitals across the country between January and December 2024.
According to the report, Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) are responsible for most infections, which are particularly concerning due to their rapid development of antibiotic resistance.
“Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) remained the most commonly isolated pathogens from most clinically relevant samples, like blood, urine, CSF, and respiratory tract samples, except for pus/exudate samples.” said the report.
Additionally, the Acinetobacter baumannii, which is listed as a critical priority by the World Health Organisation, showed 91 pct resistance to antibiotics in ICU settings”
The report also highlighted growing resistance to typhoid treatment, with 95 pct of Salmonella Typhi cases being resistant to fluoroquinolones.
“Salmonella Typhi isolates showed very good susceptibility to ceftriaxone (98 pct), cefixime (97.9 pct), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (97.7 pct) and azithromycin (99.5 pct), and very low susceptibility to fluoroquinolones (more than 95 pct resistance). These findings emphasize the limited effectiveness of fluoroquinolones in treating infections caused by this pathogen.” It said.
The spread of resistance genes like NDM, OXA-48, and TEM among bacteria is also a significant concern, as it could lead to the emergence of new superbugs.
Hence, the ICMR report warns that if immediate action is not taken, the situation could become a national health crisis.
To help prevent the crisis from escalating in India, the ICMR has outlined urgent actions. The ICMR emphasised the need to promote rational antibiotic use, strengthen infection control measures, and enhance surveillance to combat the spread of superbugs. The report also recommended implementing an integrated antibiotic policy and conducting regular audits to address the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance
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