Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic is expected to worsen the global problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). There is a heightened interest in understanding this effect and to develop antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) interventions accordingly to curb this threat. Our paper aims to evaluate the potential magnitude of COVID-19 on AMR and AMS with a focus on the countries of the Arab league, given the social, political, and economic environments. We also evaluate obstacles in applying the rational use of antibiotics, monitoring resistance trends in the midst of the pandemic, and evaluating the impact of the economic crisis in some countries. We aim to raise awareness about the potential effects of antibiotic overuse during the pandemic and to propose practical approaches to tackle this issue.
Highlights
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a novel human coronavirus that emerged in the city of Wuhan, China in December 2019 [1,2]
A significant loss in gross domestic products is expected in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) due to Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) by the year 2050, which is going to be further reduced by the economic slowdown in the post-COVID-19 period [86]
These financial consequences may pose a further threat to the Tuberculosis (TB) programs that are already affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the potential spread of extensively drugresistant TB in those countries [87]
Summary
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a novel human coronavirus that emerged in the city of Wuhan, China in December 2019 [1,2]. In October 2015, the WHO launched the Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) that was the first global collaborative effort to standardize AMR surveillance, and is an essential tool to inform infection control and prevention entities helping them to create policies [23] It is the cornerstone for assessing the spread of AMR and monitoring the impact of local, national, and global strategies [23]. Even though it may be early to link the increased reported resistance rates to the COVID-19 pandemic, the report included information on more than 3 million laboratory-confirmed bacterial infections caused by WHO priority list pathogens in 70 countries. Our objective is to raise awareness about the potential impact of antibiotic overuse during the pandemic and to suggest realistic approaches to combatting this threat
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