Reply to Abat et al.: Improved policies necessary to ensure an effective future for antibiotics
Year: 2018
Type: letter
Abstract: Antibiotics, particularly penicillins, have been instrumental in lowering mortality associated with pneumococcal pneumonia since they were introduced in the 1950s (1). As we recently reported (2), since 2000, global antibiotic use has increased significantly, driven largely by increases in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Given this association, we read with interest the letter from Abat et al. (3), based on data from the Global Burden of Disease Study (4, 5), that noted a correlation between the increase in antibiotic use we reported and reductions in mortality from lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs), particularly due to streptococcal and Haemophilus influenza type B infections. However, while these diseases remain treatable by first-line antibiotics in many parts of the world, there are two reasons why the cause of the decrease in mortality may not be due to increases in …
[↵][1]1To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: klein{at}cddep.org.
[1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Language: English
Subfield: Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
Field: Immunology and Microbiology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2887798687