Evolving landscape of respiratory infections and AMR in the UAE: A 12-year nationwide study of regional burden, epidemiologic trends and policy implications

Document Type

Article

Source of Publication

International Journal of Infectious Diseases

Publication Date

3-1-2026

Abstract

Objectives This study characterizes the epidemiological trends and resistance profiles of respiratory tract infections (RTIs) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from 2010 to 2022, aiming to inform national control strategies. Method We conducted a retrospective observational study of RTI cases across 345 UAE healthcare settings using data from the national surveillance network. Pathogen identification and resistance profiling were performed using advanced diagnostics and standardized antimicrobial susceptibility testing, in accordance with Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Results Lower respiratory tract infections (LRI) comprised most cases (73.1%; n = 100,856), including 6416 due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis , while upper respiratory infections made up 26.9%. LRI incidence was stable until 2014 but rose significantly from 2015 to 2022 (AAPC = 1.58; 95% CI: 1.58-3.87), especially in the Northern Emirates. Carbapenem resistance among Enterobacterales was 22.5% (14.4% in K. pneumoniae), and third-generation cephalosporin resistance 30.1% (62.3% in E. coli ). Resistance was highest in A. baumannii (61%) and P. aeruginosa (27.4%). Macrolide and MRSA resistance increased significantly. The majority (85%) of tuberculosis cases were identified among individuals from South Asian and East African regions, with a post-COVID surge, while drug resistance remained below 15%. Conclusion These findings underscore the urgent need for regionally tailored infection control strategies, enhanced antimicrobial stewardship, and expanded pathogen surveillance to prevent further escalation of AMR.

ISSN

1201-9712

Publisher

Elsevier BV

Volume

164

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

Keywords

Antimicrobial resistance, GCC, MENA, Mucybacterium tuberculosis, Respiratory tract infections, UAE

Scopus ID

105031156416

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Indexed in Scopus

yes

Open Access

yes

Open Access Type

Gold: This publication is openly available in an open access journal/series

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