Picture for illustrative purposes only. ARCHIVE

Drug-resistant superbugs pose a growing global health threat, with infections projected to kill nearly 40 million people over the next 25 years, according to a recent global analysis. The study, published in The Lancet, emphasizes the urgent need for action to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Superbugs are strains of bacteria or pathogens that have developed resistance to antibiotics, making them much harder to treat. The study, considered the first of its kind to track the global impact of superbugs over time, analyzed data from 520 million individual records across 204 countries and territories. It found that more than a million people die from superbug infections annually. Despite a decline in deaths among children under five due to improved infection control, infections in this age group have become harder to treat. Meanwhile, deaths among those over 70 have surged by more than 80 percent in the last three decades, highlighting the increased vulnerability of the ageing population. The research predicts that if current trends continue, direct deaths from AMR could rise by 67 percent to reach nearly two million a year by 2050. In addition, AMR could contribute to a further 8.2 million annual deaths. The total number of deaths over the next 25 years could reach 169 million, with AMR directly responsible for 39 million of these fatalities. However, the study also offers a glimmer of hope. Improved care for severe infections and better access to antimicrobial drugs could potentially save the lives of 92 million people by 2050. The researchers examined 22 pathogens, 84 drug-pathogen combinations, and 11 infectious syndromes, including meningitis, to develop a comprehensive understanding of the global AMR threat. Antimicrobial resistance is a natural phenomenon, but the overuse and misuse of antibiotics in humans, animals, and plants have exacerbated the problem. Jeremy Knox, infectious disease policy head at the Wellcome Trust, warned that rising AMR rates could undermine modern medicine. "The antibiotics we rely upon to keep common medical interventions safe and routine could lose their effectiveness," he said. Knox called for urgent global action, noting that the upcoming high-level AMR meeting at the United Nations on September 26 is a critical moment in the fight against superbugs. ICA/Expat Media
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