review · Antibiotics
A systematic review evaluated antimicrobial resistance patterns for commonly prescribed antibiotics across the World Health Organization African Region between 2016 and 2020. From an initial screening of over 48,000 articles, 167 met the criteria for detailed analysis. The data reveal that Klebsiella species were the most frequently tested gram-negative bacteria and generally exhibited the highest resistance. Escherichia coli displayed the highest resistance to imipenem, while both Escherichia coli and Haemophilus species recorded a 2.5 per cent resistance rate to meropenem. Among gram-positive pathogens, Streptococcus pneumoniae demonstrated significant resistance to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, oxacillin, penicillin, and tetracycline. Staphylococcus aureus also showed notable resistance to penicillin and oxacillin. Overall, antimicrobial resistance persists as a substantial health challenge in the region, providing vital evidence to guide regional surveillance and antibiotic stewardship policies.
Bacterial resistance to standard antibiotics undermines routine medical treatments and poses an ongoing threat to public health across Africa. Identifying which specific pathogens are failing to respond to common therapies helps health authorities target interventions. This evidence is crucial for coordinating regional surveillance frameworks, guiding clinical treatment protocols, and designing policies that safeguard the long-term effectiveness of essential antimicrobials.
The abstract does not indicate a commercialisation pathway or direct product development. The findings instead serve as early-stage epidemiological evidence for public health decision-makers and policy planners. The data could inform priorities for developers of diagnostic tests and regional pharmaceutical surveillance programmes by identifying the specific bacterial species and antibiotic classes facing the most severe resistance in the region.
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Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a significant global public health threat. This review presents the most recent in-depth review of the situation of the main AMR types in relation to the most commonly prescribed antibiotics in the World Health Organization (WHO) African Region. Underlying genes of resistance have been analyzed where possible. A search to capture published research data on AMR from articles published between 2016 and 2020 was done using PubMed and Google Scholar, with rigorous inclusion/exclusion criteria. Out of 48003 articles, only 167 were included. Among the tested gram-negative bacteria species, <i>Klebsiella</i> spp. remain the most tested, and generally the most resistant. The highest overall phenotypic resistance for imipenem was reported in <i>E. coli</i>, whereas for meropenem, <i>E. coli</i> and <i>Haemophilus</i> spp. showed an equal resistance proportion at 2.5%. For gram-positive bacteria, <i>Streptococcus pneumoniae</i> displayed high resistance percentages to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (64.3%), oxacillin (32.2%), penicillin (23.2%), and tetracycline (28.3%), whereas <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> contributed to 22.8% and 10% resistance to penicillin and oxacillin, respectively. This review shows that AMR remains a major public health threat. The present findings will help public health decision-makers in developing efficient preventive strategies and adequate policies for antibiotic stewardship and surveillance in line with the global action plan for AMR.
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DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13070659
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