Multidrug resistance responsible for half of deaths from healthcare associated infections in Europe

Multidrug resistant bacteria are responsible for about half of the 37 000 deaths a year in the 27 member states of the European Union that are caused by infections associated with health care, show the preliminary results of research from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, in Stockholm.

The official findings, which will be presented later this summer, coincide with growing political and medical pressure for a reduction in the use of antibiotics in a bid to curb increases in drug resistant bacteria.

Dominique Monnet, the centre’s …