To investigate the influence of national population-level antibiotic consumption on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates in Norway.
Key Findings:
Strong positive correlations were observed between the consumption of betalactamase-sensitive penicillins and tetracyclines and gonococcal geometric mean MIC for benzylpenicillin (ρ = 0.776, P < .001) and tetracycline (ρ = 0.841, P < .001).
A significant association was found between penicillin-class consumption and betalactamase plasmid carriage (ρ = 0.637, P = .013).
Norwegian antibiotic use influences gonococcal resistance, potentially through gene uptake from commensal Neisseria.
Interpretation:
Even with low antibiotic consumption, Norway's usage patterns appear to shape gonococcal resistance, highlighting the urgent need for effective antibiotic stewardship.
Limitations:
Data limitations due to exclusion of 2018 and reliance on national reporting systems.
Potential confounding factors, such as variations in healthcare access and reporting practices, were not accounted for in the analysis.
Conclusion:
The study underscores the importance of monitoring antibiotic consumption and its impact on AMR in Neisseria gonorrhoeae, advocating for enhanced antibiotic stewardship strategies to mitigate resistance.
