Fatalities among those over 70 are expected to increase by 146% © Getty Images / MStudioImages
Antibiotic-resistant infections could claim the lives of more than 39 million people worldwide over the next 25 years, with another 169 million expected to die of related causes, according to a study published in The Lancet medical journal this week.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses and other types of germs become stronger than the medications used to treat them – creating so-called “superbugs.” As a result, the infections become difficult or impossible to treat, and sp
The study revealed a “remarkable” decline in AMR fatalities among children under 5 – from 488,000 to 193,000 – between 1990 and 2022, which are set to halve again by the middle of the century. Meanwhile, death tolls in all other age groups are rising, with AMR loss of life among adults above the age of 70 expected to rise 146% by 2050 – from 512,353 to 1.3 million.
The report noted that AMR fatalities in 2021 were lower than in 2019, but suggested that the temporary reduction was due to Covid-related restrictions.
The researchers noted that South Asian countries such as India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, as well as sub-Saharan Africa will have the highest AMR mortality rates by 2050. (RT)
