COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE. REGIONAL ASPECTS

Ivanova Natalya Vladimirovna, Bugero Nina Vladimirovna, Ilina Natalia Anatolyevna, Slivinskij Dmitrij Sergeevich, Povtorejko Anastasiya Viktorovna

Antibiotic resistance is now increasing to alarmingly high levels and is a global problem for health systems in different countries. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for antibacterial drugs has increased, which has led to an increase in the cost of these drugs. Aim of the work: to study the regional factors for the development of antibiotic resistance in a new coronavirus infection pandemic. Materials and methods: data on the sales of antiviral, antibacterial drugs in the retail segment in the State Enterprise of the Pskov Region "Pharmacia" for 2019 and 2020 were used, the overall structure of medicinal drugs (MD) purchased by the population in value and in kind, the structure of the assortment of purchased MD by quarters was evaluated. Local data from the microbiological laboratory of the Pskov Regional Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital on the etiology of pathogens of out-of-hospital and hospital infections during the pandemic period were also analyzed. Results: it was found that in 2019, the total assortment by 57,7 % accounted for antiviral drugs, 10,1 % for immunocorrective agents, 32,2 % for antibacterial drugs. In 2020, the total assortment of antiviral drugs accounted for 35,0 %, immunocorrective agents for 6,1 %, and antibacterial drugs for 58,9 %. The volume of pharmacy sales of antibacterial drugs in 2020 in physical terms increased 11,2 times compared to 2019. Maximum consumption was marked by antibacterial drugs of the macrolide group, including as a result of azithromycin, the level of sales of which increased more than 61 times compared to the pre-pandemic period. According to the "hotline" data, based on citizens' appeals, 72,0 % of patients in Pskov purchased antibacterial drugs without doctors' prescriptions. Conclusions: weak control measures for retail dispensing of antibiotics led to over-the-counter access to this group of drugs and created conditions for the progression of antibiotic resistance. The study revealed that the majority of patients with coronavirus infection received broad-spectrum antibiotic drugs during treatment, which led to the formation of antibiotic resistance in hospitalized bacteria.

Keywords:COVID-19; antibiotic resistance; bacterial co-infections; prescription medications