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Song M, Deng Z, Chan O, Grépin KA. Understanding the Implementation of Antimicrobial Policies: Lessons from the Hong Kong Strategy and Action Plan. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11050636. [PMID: 35625280 PMCID: PMC9138146 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11050636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
In 2017, the Hong Kong Strategy and Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2017–2022 (HKSAP) was announced with the aim of tackling the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Hong Kong. However, little is known about how the planned activities have been implemented. In this study, we examine the status of implementation of the HKSAP using the Smith Policy Implementation Process Model. Semi-structured interviews with 17 informants found that important achievements have been made, including launching educational and training activities targeting the public, farmers, and healthcare professionals; upgrading the AMR surveillance system; and strengthening AMR stewardship and infection control. Nevertheless, participants also identified barriers to greater implementation, such as tensions across sectors, ongoing inappropriate drug use and prescription habits, insufficient human and technical resources, as well as a weak accountability framework. Environmental factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic also affected the implementation of HKSAP. Our study indicated that expanding engagement with the public and professionals, creating a collaborative environment for policy implementation, and building a well-functioning monitoring and evaluation system should be areas to focus on in future AMR policies.
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Kamara IF, Kumar AMV, Maruta A, Fofanah BD, Njuguna CK, Shongwe S, Moses F, Tengbe SM, Kanu JS, Lakoh S, Mansaray AHD, Selvaraj K, Khogali M, Zachariah R. Antibiotic Use in Suspected and Confirmed COVID-19 Patients Admitted to Health Facilities in Sierra Leone in 2020-2021: Practice Does Not Follow Policy. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19074005. [PMID: 35409687 PMCID: PMC8998021 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19074005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Inappropriate use of antibiotics during the COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to increase the burden of antimicrobial resistance. In this study, we report on the prevalence of antibiotic use and its associated factors among suspected and confirmed COVID-19 patients admitted to 35 health facilities in Sierra Leone from March 2020-March 2021. This was a cross-sectional study using routinely collected patient data. Of 700 confirmed COVID-19 patients, 47% received antibiotics. The majority (73%) of the antibiotics belonged to the 'WATCH' group of antibiotics, which are highly toxic and prone to resistance. The most frequently prescribed antibiotics were azithromycin, ceftriaxone, amoxicillin, metronidazole, and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid. Antibiotic use was significantly higher in patients aged 25-34 years than in those with severe disease. Of 755 suspected COVID-19 patients, 61% received antibiotics, of which the majority (58%) belonged to the 'WATCH' category. The most frequently prescribed antibiotics were ceftriaxone, metronidazole, azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, and amoxycillin. The prevalence of antibiotic use among suspected and confirmed COVID-19 patients admitted to healthcare facilities in Sierra Leone was high and not in line with national and WHO case management guidelines. Training of health care providers, strengthening of antimicrobial stewardship programs, and microbiological laboratory capacity are urgently needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibrahim Franklyn Kamara
- World Health Organization, 21A-B Riverside, Off King Harman Road Freetown, Freetown 00232, Sierra Leone; (A.M.); (B.D.F.); (C.K.N.); (S.S.)
- Correspondence: or ; Tel.: +232-763-45757
| | - Ajay M. V. Kumar
- International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, 68 Boulevard Saint Michel, 75006 Paris, France;
- International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, South-East Asia Office, C-6 Qutub Institutional Area, New Delhi 110016, India
- Yenepoya Medical College, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), University Road, Deralakatte, Mangalore 575018, India
| | - Anna Maruta
- World Health Organization, 21A-B Riverside, Off King Harman Road Freetown, Freetown 00232, Sierra Leone; (A.M.); (B.D.F.); (C.K.N.); (S.S.)
| | - Bobson Derrick Fofanah
- World Health Organization, 21A-B Riverside, Off King Harman Road Freetown, Freetown 00232, Sierra Leone; (A.M.); (B.D.F.); (C.K.N.); (S.S.)
| | - Charles Kuria Njuguna
- World Health Organization, 21A-B Riverside, Off King Harman Road Freetown, Freetown 00232, Sierra Leone; (A.M.); (B.D.F.); (C.K.N.); (S.S.)
| | - Steven Shongwe
- World Health Organization, 21A-B Riverside, Off King Harman Road Freetown, Freetown 00232, Sierra Leone; (A.M.); (B.D.F.); (C.K.N.); (S.S.)
| | - Francis Moses
- Ministry of Health and Sanitation, 4th Floor, Youyi Building, Brookfields, Freetown 00232, Sierra Leone; (F.M.); (S.M.T.); (S.L.)
| | - Sia Morenike Tengbe
- Ministry of Health and Sanitation, 4th Floor, Youyi Building, Brookfields, Freetown 00232, Sierra Leone; (F.M.); (S.M.T.); (S.L.)
| | - Joseph Sam Kanu
- National Disease Surveillance Program, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Sierra Leone National Public Health Emergency Operations Centre, Cockerill, Wilkinson Road, Freetown 00232, Sierra Leone;
- Department of Community Health, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown 00232, Sierra Leone
| | - Sulaiman Lakoh
- Ministry of Health and Sanitation, 4th Floor, Youyi Building, Brookfields, Freetown 00232, Sierra Leone; (F.M.); (S.M.T.); (S.L.)
| | - Alie H. D. Mansaray
- Crops Division, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Youyi Building, Brookfields, Freetown 00232, Sierra Leone;
| | | | - Mohammed Khogali
- Special Program for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), World Health Organization, Avenue Appia 20, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; (M.K.); (R.Z.)
| | - Rony Zachariah
- Special Program for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), World Health Organization, Avenue Appia 20, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; (M.K.); (R.Z.)
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Yu Q, Li X, Fan M, Qiu H, Wong AYS, Tian L, Chui CSL, Li PH, Lau LKW, Chan EW, Goggins WB, Ip P, Lum TY, Hung IFN, Cowling BJ, Wong ICK, Jit M. The impact of childhood pneumococcal conjugate vaccine immunisation on all-cause pneumonia admissions in Hong Kong: A 14-year population-based interrupted time series analysis. Vaccine 2021; 39:2628-2635. [PMID: 33858719 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.03.090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nine years after the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) in the United States, Hong Kong (HK) introduced the vaccine to its universal childhood immunisation programme in 2009. We aimed to assess the impact of childhood PCV immunisation on all-cause pneumonia (ACP) admissions among the overall population of HK. METHODS In this population-based interrupted time series analysis, we used territory-wide population-representative electronic health records in HK to evaluate the vaccine impact. We identified hospitalised patients with a diagnosis of pneumonia from any cause between 2004 and 2017. We applied segmented Poisson regression to assess the gradual change in the monthly incidence of ACP admissions between pre- and post-vaccination periods. Negative outcome control, subgroup and sensitivity analyses were used to test the robustness of the main analysis. FINDINGS Over the 14-year study period, a total of 587,607 ACP episodes were identified among 357,950 patients. The monthly age-standardised incidence of ACP fluctuated between 33.42 and 87.44 per 100,000-persons. There was a marginal decreasing trend in pneumonia admissions after PCV introduction among overall population (incidence rate ratio [IRR]: 0·9965, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0·9932-0·9998), and older adults (≥65 years, IRR: 0·9928, 95% CI: 0·9904-0·9953) but not in younger age groups. INTERPRETATION There was a marginally declining trend of overall ACP admissions in HK up to eight years after childhood PCV introduction. The significance disappeared when fitting sensitivity analyses. The results indicate the complexities of using non-specific endpoints for measuring vaccine effect and the necessity of enhancing serotype surveillance systems for replacement monitoring. FUNDING Health and Medical Research Fund, Food and Health Bureau of the Government of Hong Kong (Reference number: 18171272).
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuyan Yu
- Centre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health (D²4H), Hong Kong, China
| | - Xue Li
- Centre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Department of Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health (D²4H), Hong Kong, China.
| | - Min Fan
- Centre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Hong Qiu
- Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Angel Y S Wong
- Department of Non-communicable Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Linwei Tian
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Celine S L Chui
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health (D²4H), Hong Kong, China; School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; School of Nursing, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Philip H Li
- Department of Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Lauren K W Lau
- Centre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Esther W Chan
- Centre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health (D²4H), Hong Kong, China
| | - William B Goggins
- Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Patrick Ip
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Terry Y Lum
- Department of Social Work and Social Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Sau Po Centre on Ageing, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ivan F N Hung
- Department of Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Benjamin J Cowling
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ian C K Wong
- Centre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health (D²4H), Hong Kong, China; Research Department of Policy and Practice, University College London School of Pharmacy, London, UK
| | - Mark Jit
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Centre for Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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Puvača N, de Llanos Frutos R. Antimicrobial Resistance in Escherichia coli Strains Isolated from Humans and Pet Animals. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:69. [PMID: 33450827 PMCID: PMC7828219 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10010069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Throughout scientific literature, we can find evidence that antimicrobial resistance has become a big problem in the recent years on a global scale. Public healthcare systems all over the world are faced with a great challenge in this respect. Obviously, there are many bacteria that can cause infections in humans and animals alike, but somehow it seems that the greatest threat nowadays comes from the Enterobacteriaceae members, especially Escherichia coli. Namely, we are witnesses to the fact that the systems that these bacteria developed to fight off antibiotics are the strongest and most diverse in Enterobacteriaceae. Our great advantage is in understanding the systems that bacteria developed to fight off antibiotics, so these can help us understand the connection between these microorganisms and the occurrence of antibiotic-resistance both in humans and their pets. Furthermore, unfavorable conditions related to the ease of E. coli transmission via the fecal-oral route among humans, environmental sources, and animals only add to the problem. For all the above stated reasons, it is evident that the epidemiology of E. coli strains and resistance mechanisms they have developed over time are extremely significant topics and all scientific findings in this area will be of vital importance in the fight against infections caused by these bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikola Puvača
- Faculty of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Jaume I University, Avinguda de Vicent Sos Baynat, s/n, 12071 Castelló de la Plana, Spain;
- Department of Engineering Management in Biotechnology, Faculty of Economics and Engineering Management in Novi Sad, University Business Academy in Novi Sad, Cvećarska 2, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Rosa de Llanos Frutos
- Faculty of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Jaume I University, Avinguda de Vicent Sos Baynat, s/n, 12071 Castelló de la Plana, Spain;
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