Antimicrobial resistance, responsible for an estimated 35,000 deaths each year in the European Union, is spreading across humans, animals and the environment, prompting calls for a broader approach to tackling one of public health's biggest challenges.
Antibiotics have transformed modern medicine, making once-deadly infections treatable. But as bacteria become increasingly resistant to the drugs designed to kill them, that progress is under threat.
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Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is responsible for an estimated 35,000 deaths each year in the European Union, with its health impact comparable to that of influenza, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS combined.
"Antibiotic resistance is when bugs can't get treated with the medicines anymore that we usually use to treat them," Fiona Walsh, a professor at Maynooth University in Ireland, told Euronews. Her research focuses on resistance across human, animal and environmental health.
For patients infected with multidrug-resistant bacteria, the consequences can be particularly serious. Doctors may have to combine several antibiotics to treat an infection, but in some cases even these combinations fail.
"Unfortunately, some people will die," Walsh said.
And the outlook is worsening. A study published in The Lancet projects that bacterial AMR could directly cause 39 million deaths worldwide between 2025 and 2050.
Antibiotic overuse in humans, use in animals, poor sanitation and environmental pollution can all contribute to the spread of resistance. Bacteria and the genetic material that allows them to resist antibiotics can move between humans, animals and the environment.
This is why researchers are increasingly adopting a so-called One Health approach, recognising that human health cannot be separated from animal and environmental health.
Tackling AMR
"The nice thing is that there are many different ways to kill bacteria and these bugs," Walsh said. "There are also ways to protect ourselves.”
Vaccines can reduce infections and, consequently, the need for antibiotics. The World Health Organization estimates that better vaccine use could reduce global antibiotic consumption by 2.5 billion doses annually.
Staying healthy "is really, really important," Walsh said, as it can reduce the likelihood of developing infections that require antibiotic treatment, particularly among older people and those with weakened immune systems.
"Bacteria will also fight bacteria and if we have our own bacterial system within our body that's really healthy, then they can help fight infection as well," Walsh said.
"We need bacteria in order to live. We need them in our gut. We need it on our skin. We have them in your mouth. They're really important," she added, warning that excessive antibiotic and disinfectant use can disrupt the body's natural defences.
For Walsh, the solution is not simply to develop new antibiotics, although these remain important. Researchers must also look at vaccines, wastewater treatment and ways to improve animal health across the food chain.
