From the ESPID Congress: vaccines are a key weapon in the fight against antibiotic resistance. The contribution of the SItI Vaccines Group
The recent ESPID (European Society for Paediatric Infectious Diseases) International Congress confirmed the strategic role of vaccination in the global fight against antibiotic resistance. The National Vaccines Group of the Italian Society of Hygiene actively participated in the event by presenting a significant scientific contribution developed with the support of expert infectious disease specialists. The Region of Sardinia is implementing these policy guidelines to ensure that Public Heath prevention measures are constantly updated in line with the highest European standards.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) presents one of the most complex Public Heath challenges of our century. A decisive response to this emergency has come from the prestigious ESPID Congress (European Society for Paediatric Infectious Diseases), where the international scientific community reaffirmed the principle that vaccines are not merely a tool for individual prevention, but a central and strategic pillar in combating the misuse and loss of efficacy of antibiotics.
At the heart of the global debate, interest in the ‘Vaccines & AMR’ pairing was given ample attention through sessions dedicated to the One Health approach (integrated human, animal and environmental health). Of particular note was the presentation by Professor Martinon Torres, who concluded by calling for vaccinations to be officially recognised as an integral part of antimicrobial stewardship programmes – “….vaccines should be recognised not as a secondary benefit in relation to AMR but as a central pillar of antimicrobial stewardship. This requires greater uptake of existing vaccines, faster development of new vaccines for neglected AMR pathogens, better-designed trials, targeted funding, and a broader conceptual shift towards ‘syndromic vaccines’ that address interacting pathogens and disease syndromes rather than isolated organisms”.
In this prestigious international setting, the National Vaccines and Vaccination Policies Group of the Italian Society of Hygiene, in collaboration with infectious disease specialists, made a significant scientific contribution by presenting a dedicated poster (Appendix 1), with the active participation of our professionals. The work of the SItI Group fits perfectly with the new vision that emerged at the congress, which promotes:
Greater uptake of existing vaccines: increasing current vaccination coverage is the first step towards drastically reducing the inappropriate use of antibiotic therapies.
Development of ‘syndromic vaccines’: a new scientific approach aimed at targeting not only individual microorganisms, but also the combinations of pathogens that interact in the most common respiratory and clinical syndromes.
Targeted research and funding: accelerating the development of new vaccines for the most critical and resistant pathogens through better-designed clinical trials.
The Region of Sardinia, through its own channels and prevention services, strongly endorses these scientific recommendations. Supporting vaccination campaigns in our region means not only protecting the population from individual infectious diseases, but also preserving the effectiveness of life-saving medicines (antibiotics) for future generations. The participation of healthcare professionals in forums and conferences of this calibre ensures that Sardinian citizens have access to healthcare that is constantly updated and aligned with the highest European standards.
Attached to this news item are the two papers that the BORD presented at the ICAR (Italian Conference on AIDS and Antiviral Research) held in Catania from 20 to 22 May.
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