# Prevalence and pattern of antibiotic use and resistance among Iraqi patients: a cross-sectional study

## TL;DR

This study examines antibiotic use and resistance patterns among Iraqi patients, finding high rates of antibiotic resistance and over-the-counter use.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into antibiotic resistance trends and usage patterns in Iraq over a two-year period.

## Key findings

- Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were the most common pathogens detected.
- Antibiotic resistance increased from 55% in 2021 to 75% in 2022.
- Amoxicillin showed the highest resistance (77%), while meropenem had the lowest (5%).

## Abstract

According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2019, around 32,000 deaths in addition 2.8 million infections occur annually in the US because of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

To determine the prevalence and study pattern of antibiotic use and resistance among Iraqi patients.

We carried out a cross-sectional study from January 2021 to October 2022 including data of 850 patients at different private and general hospitals, primary health centers, and private clinics. The data was collected during the patient's admission or visiting time using medical records and mini-interviews.

Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were the most detected pathogens in our sample in 14.5% and 11.29% of the patients respectively. Most patients (87.18%) had taken over-the-counter antibiotics previously. Around 55% of the antibiotics that were tested were resisted among our patients who were included in 2021. This percentage has increased to about 75% of the included patients in 2022. Amoxicillin was the most resistant antibiotic (77%) in our sample while meropenem was the least resistant among the tested antibiotic (5%).

Antibiotic resistance is a major public health concern that is often caused by the overuse and misuse of antibiotics, as well as poor infection control practices.