Increasing trends of antibiotic resistance in Uganda: analysis of the national antimicrobial resistance surveillance data, 2018–2021

The National Microbiology Reference Laboratory (NMRL) in Uganda is monitoring antimicrobial resistance (AMR) data from clinical samples, but there is limited integration into public health planning. A study analyzed data from 537 pathogenic bacterial isolates from 2018-2021, focusing on Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella species. The study found a significant increase in antibiotic resistance rates over four years, particularly to commonly used antibiotics like ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin. This highlights the need for increased awareness and use of medicines marked for “Watch” or “Reserve” to combat antibiotic resistance. The study underscores the importance of adhering to the WHO’s Access, Watch, and Reserve (AWaRe) category in combating antibiotic resistance.