Resistencia bacteriana en Chile

Abstract

Bacterial antimicrobial resistance is a complex phenomenon in which several factors as use and abuse of antimicrobial agents, weakening of infection control programs and the existence of multi invaded severely ill patients are involved. As the main consequence of bacterial resistance are antibiotic treatment failure, the enhancement of morbidity and mortality and increasing costs of medical support, it is necessary to control the problem. The initial step of containment is to know the magnitude of bacterial resistance. In our country, obtaining figures has been difficult because of the absence of a unified national surveillance program, with high coverage and a certified quality standard. With the available data at the present obtained of diverse sources of information, the emergence of resistance in Staphylococcus aureus to methicillin, in Streptococcus pneumoniae to penicillin, in Escherichia coli y Klebsiella pneumoniae to third generation cephalosporins and in Pseudomonas aeruginosa to imipenem is concerning. The increasing resistance of E. coli and K. pneumoniae to third generation cephalosporins due to extended spectrum betalactamases synthesis is also concerning, because they confer resistance to all betalactam antibiotics and their confirmatory tests are scarcely implemented in our country. Pseudomonas aeruginosa resistance to carbapenems is still not a great magnitude problem in Chile, but hospitals with high complexity wards must dispose alternative drugs and methods to confirm the resistance to these antimicrobial agent. In conclusion, the absolute necessity to know in a representative and certified way the magnitude of resistance to the different antibiotic groups is evident, so as to take the necessary therapeutic measures.