by Business AM
published on Wednesday September 18, 2024 has 10:10 •
3 min read
Main information
- Antibiotic resistance will cause more than 39 million direct deaths and indirectly contribute to an additional 169 million deaths worldwide between 2025 and 2050.
- Annual deaths directly attributed to antibiotic resistance will reach 1.91 million by 2050, while associated deaths will rise to 8.22 million.
- Proactive measures such as improving the management of serious infections, developing new vaccines and using antibiotics wisely can potentially save an estimated 92 million lives over the next two decades.
Global forecasts predict escalating deaths linked to antibiotic resistance.
A recent study estimates that antibiotic resistance will cause more than 39 million direct deaths and indirectly contribute to an additional 169 million deaths worldwide between 2025 and 2050. Researchers predict that annual deaths directly attributed to antibiotic resistance will reach 1.91 million by 2050, while associated deaths will rise to 8.22 million.
The burden of antibiotic resistance
The growing burden of antibiotic resistance poses a significant threat to older populations, with deaths among adults aged over 70 increasing by more than 80 percent between 1990 and 2021. Low- and middle-income countries bear this burden disproportionately, with the highest rates of deaths due to antibiotic resistance observed in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, mainly due to multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.
Causes and consequences
Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria and other infectious agents develop the ability to evade the effects of available drugs. This alarming phenomenon is mainly attributed to the inappropriate and excessive use of antibiotics in human, animal and plant health care.
A call to action
The study suggests that proactive measures such as improving the management of serious infections, developing new vaccines and using antibiotics wisely could potentially save an estimated 92 million lives over the next two decades. The researchers analyzed data from 520 million individuals in 204 countries, including hospital records, death certificates and antibiotic use statistics.
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