Objective: Description of the changing patterns of antibiotic resistance in Helicobacter pylori infection in the Netherlands.
Design: Retrospective database study using the Dutch infectious disease surveillance information system-antibiotic resistance (ISIS-AR).
Method: In the ISIS-AR database antibiotic resistance data are reported by 46 microbiologic laboratories in the Netherlands. For the present study, data from 16 centres were used with a 10 year period of reporting H. pylori resistance data, from 1 January 2010 till 1 January 2020, for amoxycillin, levofloxacin, claritrhromycin, tetracyclin and metronidazole.
Results: In 2019 Antimicrobial resistance rates in the Netherlands were 1% for tetracycline, 5% for amoxycillin, 23%% for levofloxacin, 46% for metronidazole and 47% for clarithromycin. The combined resistance rate for clarithromycin and metronidazole was 29%. Significantly higher resistance rates were found in female patients for amoxycillin (8% vs 1%), clarithromycin (53% vs 38%) and metronidazole (52% vs 38%). From 2010 to 2019, a significant rise in resistance rates was found for amoxycillin (0% - 5%), clarithromycin (7% - 40%), metronidazole (14% - 45%) and for the clarithromycin and metronidazole combination (2% - 29%).
Conclusion: There was an important rise in antibiotic resistance rates in H. pylori in the Netherlands. For optimal H. pylori treatment bismuth-based therapies should become available again in the Netherlands. Treatment of H. pylori should be based on the individual antibiotic resistance profile and be in concordance with the principles of antibiotic stewardship. Guidelines for treatment of H. pylori in the Netherlands should be adapted and have a better correlation with International guidelines and best practices.