Resistant bacteria develop faster than antibiotics
reproduction Bacterial diseases that are difficult to treat are a growing threat, according to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Antibiotic Resistance Surveillance Report. The report shows that between 2018 and 2023, antibiotic resistance will increase by more than 40% in the pathogen-drug combinations under surveillance, with an average annual increase of 5% to 15%.
According to data reported by more than 100 countries to WHO’s Global Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance and Use System (GLASS), one out of every six laboratory-confirmed bacteria in 2023 will be resistant to antibiotic treatment, all related to various common diseases globally.
Superbugs
For the first time, this edition of the report includes estimates of the prevalence of resistance to 22 antibiotics used to treat diseases of the urinary tract, gastrointestinal tract, bloodstream, and gonorrhea. The analysis focused on eight common pathogens: Acinetobacter spp, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Non-typhoidal Salmonella species, Shigella spp, Staphylococcus aureusand Streptococcus pneumoniae.
The results show that resistant Gram-negative bacteria pose the greatest threat. are particularly noteworthy Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniaewhich is associated with bloodstream infections that can lead to sepsis, organ failure, and death. “More than 40 percent of E. coli And more than 55 percent of K. Pneumonia The report warns that strains worldwide are now resistant to third-generation cephalosporins, the first-line treatment for these infections.
These microorganisms by salmonella and Acinetobacterwhich also create resistance against essential drugs such as carbapenems and fluoroquinolones. This reduces treatment alternatives and forces the use of antibiotics of last resort, which are often expensive and difficult to access, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
Medicine is lagging behind
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, said in a statement: “Antimicrobial resistance is outpacing modern medical advances and threatening the health of families around the world.” “We need to use antibiotics responsibly and make sure everyone has access to the right drugs, quality-assured diagnostics and vaccines.”
Optimizing monitoring systems and obtaining accurate data is an urgent task. Although progress has been made, it is still not enough. Between 2016 and 2023, the number of countries participating in GLASS quadrupled, from 25 to 104. However, 48 percent did not report data in 2023, and nearly half of the countries that did report lacked sufficient infrastructure to generate reliable data.
The WHO warns that addressing the problem should be a priority in regions such as Southeast Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean, where one in three reported infections is resistant, as well as in Africa, where one in five people have the condition.
