Treatment of COVID-19: implications for antimicrobial resistance in Africa

Chinwe Juliana Iwu; Portia Jordan; Ishmael Festus Jaja; Chidozie Declan Iwu; Charles Shey Wiysonge

doi:10.11604/pamj.supp.2020.35.23713

Treatment of COVID-19: implications for antimicrobial resistance in Africa

Pan Afr Med J. 2020 Jul 20;35(Suppl 2):119. doi: 10.11604/pamj.supp.2020.35.23713. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Chinwe Juliana Iwu¹, Portia Jordan¹, Ishmael Festus Jaja², Chidozie Declan Iwu³, Charles Shey Wiysonge^{4

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Affiliations

¹ Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.
² Department of Livestock and Pasture Sciences, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, University of Fort Hare, Alice 5700, South Africa.
³ School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa.
⁴ Cochrane South Africa, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa.
⁵ Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.
⁶ School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.

Abstract

There is currently no approved pharmaceutical product for the treatment of COVID-19. However, antibiotics are currently being used for the management of COVID-19 patients in many settings either treat to co-infections or for the treatment of COVID-19 itself. In this commentary, we highlight that the increased rates of antimicrobial prescribing for COVID-19 patients could further worsen the burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). We also highlight that though AMR is a global threat, Africa tends to suffer most from the consequences. We, therefore, call on African countries not to lose sight of the possible implications of the treatment of COVID-19 on AMR and a need to redouble efforts towards the fight against AMR while dealing with the pandemic.

Keywords: Africa; COVID-19 treatment; antimicrobial resistance; coronavirus.

MeSH terms

Africa
Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use*
COVID-19 Drug Treatment*
Drug Resistance, Bacterial*
Humans
SARS-CoV-2*

Substances

Anti-Bacterial Agents