Mon Dec 02 16:04:53 UTC 2024: **Kerala Releases 2023 Antibiogram, Revealing Rise in Antibiotic Resistance**
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, KERALA – Kerala has released its third annual antibiogram, highlighting a concerning rise in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) within the state. The report, released Monday by Health Minister Veena George, details the susceptibility of various bacterial pathogens to antibiotics based on data from 34 surveillance laboratories across 11 districts.
The data, collected by the Kerala Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network (KARS-Net) from January to December 2023, shows *E. coli* as the most prevalent pathogen (40.03%), followed by *Klebsiella* species. The report notes that the data primarily reflects AMR in tertiary care settings and may not fully represent community-level resistance.
Significant findings include a 33% increase in methicillin-resistant *Staphylococcus aureus* (MRSA) among blood isolates and a rise in carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) in *E. coli* (12%) and *Klebsiella* species (43%). High-level resistance was observed in *Klebsiella* species across various specimen types and antibiotics, except for colistin. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) production was also prevalent, reaching 74% in blood isolates.
Dr. R. Aravind, convener of the Kerala Antimicrobial Resistance Strategic Action Plan (KARSAP), expressed concern over the increasing ESBL production and carbapenem resistance, emphasizing the need for stricter infection control measures and rational antibiotic use.
To gain a more comprehensive understanding of community-level AMR, Kerala has implemented a hub-and-spoke surveillance system, aiming to include primary and secondary care hospitals in future antibiograms. The state plans to release district-level antibiograms annually starting next year. The expansion of KARS-Net from 21 labs in 2019 to 49 labs currently demonstrates Kerala’s ongoing commitment to combating the growing threat of AMR.
First Piper 