Antimicrobial resistance now a leading cause of death worldwide, study finds

Antimicrobial resistance poses a significant threat to humanity, health leaders have warned, as a study reveals it has become a leading cause of death worldwide and is killing about 3,500 people every day.

Previous estimates of the health impact of AMR have been published for several countries and regions, and for a small number of pathogen-drug combinations in a wider range of locations. However, until now no estimates have covered all locations or a broad range of pathogens and drug combinations.

The analysis shows AMR was directly responsible for an estimated 1.27million deaths worldwide, and associated with an estimated 4.95 million deaths, in 2019. HIV/Aids and malaria have been estimated to have caused 860,000 and 640,000 deaths, respectively, in 2019.

While AMR poses a threat to people of all ages, young children were found to be at particularly high risk, with one in five deaths attributable to AMR occurring in children under the age of five.

The report highlights an urgent need to scale up action to combat AMR, and outlines immediate actions for policymakers that would help save lives and protect health systems. These include optimising the use of existing antibiotics, taking greater action to monitor and control infections, and providing more funding to develop new antibiotics and treatments.

Regionally, deaths caused directly by AMR were estimated to be highest in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia, at 24 deaths per 100,000 population and 22 deaths per 100,000 population respectively.

In high-income countries, AMR led directly to 13 deaths per 100,000 and was associated with 56 deaths per 100,000. In the western Europe region, which includes the UK, more than 51,000 people died as a direct result of AMR.

Other experts said Covid-19 had demonstrated the importance of global commitments to infection and control measures, such as hand-washing and surveillance, and rapid investments in treatments.