3rd WORLD HAI FORUM on nosocomial infections: call for a global mobilization against the resistance to antibiotics

September of 2011. More than 70 international experts in medicine, infectious diseases, microbiology and epidemiology have gathered recently on the occasion of the 3rd “HAI World Forum ”, organized at the initiative of the bioMérieux entity in the Conference of the Foundation Center Merieux.

“From all the continents, gathered experts have launched an appeal to the international authorities, the medical community, veterinarians, the diagnostic and pharmaceutical makers and the population, to undertake a global mobilisation to prevent a health catastrophe caused by the spread of all antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

In a context in which the development of new antibiotics is practically at a dead, the resistance of bacteria has spread due to the massive and inappropriate use of antibiotics in human health and animal. Not only treating common infections may be compromised, but also those pathologies treated with immunosuppressants, or even surgery (organ transplants, heart surgery), involving a high risk of bacterial infection.

For experts of the World Hai Forum ”, the emergence of bacteria with NDM-1 panresistentes and the epidemic by e.-coli affecting Europe last spring, be regarded as first-rate health alerts, announcing the birth of a new was of antibiotics ”, requiring an awareness on a global scale. Preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics, however, belongs to the field of sustainable development.

One of Spanish professionals who attended to the World Hai Forum ”, Dr. Rafael Canton, Chief of the microbiology service of the Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, agreed that this initiative multidisciplinary and multinational approach the reality of different countries and unifying criteria and efforts in the fight against the resistance to antimicrobial drugs is necessary and essential. Also noted the efforts daily laboratories and microbiology services in Spain that with its current structure they represent one of the first steps in the detection of problems, offering this information to other professionals and participate in multidisciplinary teams of infection control

Following the precepts and proposals for large agencies (who, ECDC, CDC, etc.) and scientific societies (ESCMID, ASM, SEIMC, …), the Forum participants identified priority guidelines, which should implement in the short and medium term, to combat the spread of resistant bacteria. To do this, already tabled twelve very specific recommendations that will help to combat this scourge effectively.

Priority guidelines that health authorities should put in place

-Only may be administered to animals antibiotics that are not used in human medicine, and only for therapeutic purposes. It is crucial to book the classes of antibiotics most important for human medicine.
-Prohibit, in all countries, the use of antibiotics in the animal feed to accelerate their growth.
-Regulating the sale of antibiotics for human medicine and ban their sale without a prescription at the global level.
-Propose to the international organizations (who, EU) specifications for the proper use of antibiotics, who must sign the ministries of health in all countries, and of course, undertake to obey, comply with and enforce.

Animal and human health

-Implement, in all countries, a standardized control of resistance and use of antibiotics, as well as to monitor the outbreak and spread of new bacterial resistance.
-Include, in the plans of College of physicians and veterinarians, a solid background on bacterial resistance and reasoned use of antibiotics. Establish programmes of continuing education of health personnel according to the customs of each country.

Healthcare

-Designing rapid tests, which can be used at home or in health centres by doctors, so they guide them in the prescription of antibiotics and determine that it is not an infection of viral origin.
-Boost r & d of new antibiotics
-To develop new economic models that reconcile the interests of public health and the demands of profitability of the sector.

The population

-Carry out information and awareness campaigns aimed at the general public, which are adapted to the consumption patterns of the population, and showing the need to protect the antibiotics by limiting their indiscriminate use.
-Enactment of hygiene key measures such as washing hands to prevent infections. Strengthen the implementation of health teams aimed at eliminating the resistant bacteria present in wastewater imperatively.
-Involving consumers in the drafting and implementation of plans of action.

About …

The 3rd World HAI Forum ”, organized from 27 to 29 June 2011 by bioMérieux, and dedicated to nosocomial infections, highlighted by the geographic diversity of its participants: 33 countries from different continents were represented.

While the majority of the symposia focused on the scientific developments past, the World HAI Forum, held every two years, allow the experts exchange views on issues that have not been nearly discussed at other conferences or meetings.

On this occasion, and given that much of the time have dedicated it to share experiences, successes and failures on the fight against Multiresistant bacteria, attendees have been able to develop plans of action tailored to the needs of public health.

Leader worldwide in microbiology and a pioneer in the field of screening of resistance and the antibiogram, bioMérieux is working in close collaboration with the health professionals in three areas of control of nosocomial infections and bacterial resistance of antibiotics: prevention, surveillance and intervention. Diagnostic tests are crucial to the success of the fight against these infections.

Committed in the fight against bacterial infections, bioMérieux organizes professional conferences to facilitate scientific exchanges and the development of a global network of specialists. In the past three years, these meetings have taken place in a dozen countries such as Saudi Arabia, Belgium, Colombia, Korea, China, Spain, United States, Japan and Netherlands.

If you want to listen to the specialists at the 3rd World HAI Forum or obtain other information, visit the websites: www.hai-forum.com or www.bioMerieux.com/hai-resistance

about …

technological innovation applied to the diagnosis in the service of public health

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bioMérieux provides diagnostic solutions (reagents, instruments and software) designed to determine the origin of a disease or infection in order to improve and ensure the health of patients and the safety of consumers. Indeed, the bioMérieux products provide results of high clinical value both for the opinion and monitoring of cancer and cardiovascular emergencies. Pharmaceuticals and cosmetics can also be used for the detection of microorganisms in agri-food products.

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