Monthly trends in antimicrobial consumption and influenza incidence at the community level in 2014 in Poland

INTRODUCTION Antibiotic resistance is nowadays one of the most important public health threats. It is mainly caused by inappropriate antibiotic usage.
OBJECTIVES We aimed to characterize the seasonal trends of antimicrobial consumption (AC) and to assess the possible relation between AC and the incidence of influenza at the community level in 2014 in Poland.
PATIENTS AND METHODS Influenza incidence, AC, and the number of inhabitants vaccinated against influenza were examined at the community level. The AC was assessed on the basis of sales data and then converted to defined daily doses (DDDs) per 1000 inhabitants per day according to the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System and the DDD methodology. The data on the incidence of influenza and influenza-like cases were based on notifications from primary care doctors.
RESULTS The majority of antimicrobials were consumed at the community level. The mean community consumption of antibacterials for systemic use in Poland in 2014 was 22.50 DDDs per 1000 inhabitants per day. The most frequently consumed substances were oral amoxicillin, amoxicillin and enzyme inhibitor, and cefuroxime. Two seasonal peaks of AC were observed. Seasonal trends in AC were similar to trends in influenza incidence. The highest AC was observed in a voivodeship with the highest influenza incidence.
CONCLUSIONS The extent of outpatient AC and the seasonal coincidence of influenza and AC pose an important risk for antibiotic overuse and misuse, which are the main causes of antibiotic resistance.