Scientists warn that more than 39 million people could die from antimicrobial-resistant infections in the next 25 years.
The Telegraph writes about this in reference to a new study funded by the British government.
Today, antimicrobial resistance (called antibiotic resistance or AMR) is responsible for more than 1.14 million deaths a year, more than HIV/AIDS and malaria combined, according to the study.
“The sharp rise in infections caused by the overuse and misuse of antibiotics in medicine and agriculture is leading to the emergence of superbugs that threaten modern medical advances. In England alone, there were 58,224 cases of antibiotic-resistant infections in 2022, an increase of 4% compared to the previous year,” the publication writes.
This situation makes many infections that were once easily treatable fatal, and routine medical procedures such as Caesarean sections, transplants, joint replacements and chemotherapy carry high risks.
The largest increases in mortality from antibiotic-resistant infections, including the dangerous pneumonia strains E. coli and C. diff, are seen in North America, sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and countries in South and Southeast Asia.
Projections indicate that by 2050, the number of deaths associated with antibiotic resistance could nearly double, with superbugs only directly killing healthy people. However, the real figure could be even higher, with a projected 8.22 million deaths a year, especially among vulnerable groups such as the elderly and immunocompromised.
One of the key problems in the fight against superbugs is the slow progress in creating new antibiotics. Companies are reluctant to invest in their development because new drugs will only be used as a last resort, limiting their commercial benefit.
On the bright side, however, mortality among children under five due to antibiotic resistance has fallen by 50% since 1990, thanks to better infection control and widespread vaccination programmes. Experts expect this figure to continue to decline.
Cursor previously wrote that Scientists said humanity needs to prepare for a new pandemic.The emergence and spread of new pathogens is inevitable.
