Every year, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority takes several thousand samples of food, animals, fish, surroundings, water and feed. One of the things the Norwegian Food Safety Authority is looking for are antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This year's summary shows few findings in Norway, but the problem is growing internationally.
Resistant bacteria are mainly caused by excessive and irresponsible consumption of antimicrobial drugs. Therefore, it is very important to only use antibiotics when absolutely necessary.
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In Norway occurrence resistance bacteria in humans and animals is still low. This is due to low antimicrobial use, careful consumption patterns and effective measures to prevent the spread of resistant bacteria.
Decline in total antibiotic use
There has been a marked decline in total antibiotic use in Norway since 2012, with a total decline of 33 percent. During the Covid-19 pandemic, there was a significant decline in the use of systemic antibiotics. The main reason is that antibiotics are prescribed less frequently for respiratory infections in primary care . Infection control measures may also have reduced the incidence of respiratory conditions, and many may have had a higher threshold for visiting a doctor with symptoms of respiratory conditions.
The steady decline in recent years may also be due to increased attention to antimicrobial resistance, both among healthcare workers and the general population. A large part primary care doctors completed quality improvement courses in proper prescribing practice.
Source: regjeringen / FHI
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