Abstract
In this study, we aim to synthesize some evidence on the impacts that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is having on the epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Africa since it was declared a global pandemic by the WHO in March 2020.A scoping review was undertaken by collecting and curating relevant resources from peer-reviewed articles and also from the gray literature. Mixed approaches of extracting data (qualitative and quantitative) were employed in synthesizing evidence, as suggested by the Health Evidence Network.A model constructed based on the synthesis of early evidence available on the effects of factors linked to COVID-19 in impacting the evolution of AMR in Africa predicted that, in cumulative terms, those factors favoring the evolution of AMR outpace those disfavoring it by no less than three folds.COVID-19 is likely fueling the evolution of AMR almost unhindered in Africa. Due to the recognition of this crisis, concerted efforts for resource mobilization and global cooperation are needed to tackle it.
Highlights
BackgroundThe viral coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a novel variety of Sarbecovirus, was first detected in December 2019 in the central Chinese city of Wuhan [1]
A model constructed based on the synthesis of early evidence available on the effects of factors linked to COVID-19 in impacting the evolution of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Africa predicted that, in cumulative terms, those factors favoring the evolution of AMR outpace those disfavoring it by no less than three folds
Such a sharp increase in the consumption of antibiotics further fuels the challenges posed by antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which has hitherto been characterized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the greatest threat to global health [8]
Summary
The viral coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a novel variety of Sarbecovirus, was first detected in December 2019 in the central Chinese city of Wuhan [1]. It rapidly spread globally, and by March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a global pandemic [2,3]. Such a sharp increase in the consumption of antibiotics further fuels the challenges posed by antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which has hitherto been characterized by the WHO as the greatest threat to global health [8]
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