Alarming increase in multi-resistant germs: Experts sound the alarm!

Alarming increase in multi-resistant germs: Experts sound the alarm!

In 2024, the National Reference Center (NRZ) for gram-negative hospital pathogens at the Ruhr University Bochum recorded an alarming increase in multi-resistant bacterial samples. Over 10,000 samples were analyzed and the proportion of samples containing carbapenemases increased to 61.1 percent. This represents a significant increase compared to 43.9 percent three years ago. Carbapenemases are special enzymes that can significantly reduce the effectiveness of the important reserve antibiotics, the carbapenems. Dr. Niels Pfennigwerth from NRZ emphasizes the need for intensified surveillance to counteract this threatening development. This annual report was published on May 15, 2025 in the Epidemiological Bulletin of the Robert Koch Institute and sheds light on the growing challenge of multi-resistant pathogens in medical care.

Multidrug-resistant pathogens, primarily emerging in hospitals, have become a serious threat to patients' lives as available treatment options continue to decline. People with a weakened immune system, older people, cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and organ transplant recipients are particularly at risk. Even children with an immature immune system are not safe from pathogenic bacteria. According to that Robert Koch Institute Any use of antibiotics worsens the situation, as sensitive bacteria are killed while resistant ones survive and multiply.

Global threat of antibiotic resistance

The global impact of antibiotic resistance represents one of the greatest health challenges worldwide. The WHO warns that resistant germs cause over a million deaths every year. In Europe, around 35,000 deaths per year are part of this sad balance. Forecasts indicate that more than 39 million people could die as a result of antibiotic-resistant germs by 2050. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Secretary-General of the WHO, emphasizes that resistant germs could undermine medical progress. The daily news reports that resistance presents itself as a natural adaptation process that is accelerated by inappropriate use of antibiotics.

In order to counteract resistance, experts are calling for the responsible use of antibiotics. In Germany there are deficiencies in antibiotic prescription in non-university hospitals. University hospitals, on the other hand, have established measures such as Antibiotic Stewardship (ABS) to optimize the use of antibiotics. This includes detailed diagnostics, selection of the appropriate antibiotic and adjustment of the duration of therapy and dosage. Examples include the Charité in Berlin, which also follows the ABS concept.

Public awareness and prevention

A key problem remains the low public awareness of the difference between bacterial and viral infections. Almost half of Europeans are not informed that antibiotics only help against bacteria. It is therefore important to educate patients and point out that vaccinations against diseases such as diphtheria and tetanus can reduce the need for antibiotics. There is increasing investment in the development of new antibiotics and alternative therapy options to counteract the ever-growing problem of antibiotic resistance.