In a surveillance study of over 12 million bacteria, investigators at The George Washington University and Providence Hospital found E. coli antimicrobial resistance to ciprofloxacin, the most commonly prescribed antimicrobial for urinary tract infections in the U.S., increased more than five-fold from 2000 to 2010.
In addition, nearly one in four isolates in 2010 were resistant to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, the second most commonly prescribed drug for this infection.
"Our study is important because it shows that E. coli resistance to two common drugs to treat UTIs rose substantially over the last decade. For patients, this will ultimately translate into more expensive and sometimes more complex antimicrobial treatments. What is more concerning, however, is the lack of new antimicrobial drug development which has been declining for decades," said the primary author of the study.
In addition, nearly one in four isolates in 2010 were resistant to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, the second most commonly prescribed drug for this infection.
"Our study is important because it shows that E. coli resistance to two common drugs to treat UTIs rose substantially over the last decade. For patients, this will ultimately translate into more expensive and sometimes more complex antimicrobial treatments. What is more concerning, however, is the lack of new antimicrobial drug development which has been declining for decades," said the primary author of the study.
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