ABSTRACT
Antibiotic resistance, as opposed to antiviral or antifungal resistance, is widespread among both hospital and community pathogens. Recent data from large programs has illustrated the growing issue of antibiotic resistance, especially among bacteria from respiratory infections. The argument for fighting resistance in the nosocomial pathogens tends to be much more high profile, despite the lower incidence, and as such has been seen as a bigger opportunity by the pharmaceutical industry. Vast differences in antibiotic resistance and the perceptions towards how best to handle them underpin the different nations’ attitudes to new antibiotics and further complicate the drug review process in Europe. The final, and huge, obstacle is the lack of inertia among prescribers to want to change because they do not see resistance in their practice. The increasing incidence or prevalence of antibiotic resistance is an issue of major public concern.
