New data on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in European countries is now available in the sixth annual report of the Central Asian and European Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance (CAESAR) network. This information is invaluable in providing insight into the scope of the problem and identifying key priorities for action. The publication of the CAESAR report is one of the activities of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Europe for the World Antibiotic Awareness Week (WAAW) 2020 and was co-authored by RIVM’s WHO Collaborating Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Epidemiology and Surveillance.
Sixth CAESAR report
The sixth CAESAR annual report presents data on antimicrobial resistance in twelve countries in the WHO European Region – Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, the Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation, Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine – and Kosovo (in the context of the United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 (1999)). The data presented in the CAESAR report demonstrate that highly resistant microorganisms are common in clinical settings in many countries in Europe and Central Asia, emphasising the need for effective infection prevention and control measures in this region.
AMR surveillance in Europe
Reliable data on AMR is vital for the development of strategies to counter the spread of AMR, but in many European countries, AMR surveillance is inadequate. The CAESAR network was established in 2012 as a collaboration between RIVM, ESCMID (European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases) and the WHO regional office for Europe, and aims to strengthen national surveillance of AMR in the non-EU (European Union ) countries of the WHO European region. RIVM’s WHO Collaborating Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Epidemiology and Surveillance supports these countries with the collection, analysis, interpretation, and reporting of AMR data. Since the start of the collaboration, the number of countries or areas contributing data to the annual report has increased from five to thirteen. More information on our international collaboration on AMR.