750,000 deaths linked to AMR can be prevented annually, says Lancet
The four-paper series suggests that without prioritising action on AMR, the global death toll - currently 4.95 million per year from AMR-linked infections - will steadily increase
Improving existing infection prevention methods could prevent at least 750,000 deaths associated with anti-microbial resistance (AMR) annually in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), according to a new modelling analysis published in The Lancet on Thursday.
The four-paper series suggests that without prioritising action on AMR, the global death toll - currently 4.95 million per year from AMR-linked infections - will steadily increase. Young infants, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses or requiring surgery are at the highest risk.
The analysis estimates that 7.7 million deaths globally are caused by bacterial infections each year, making them the second largest cause of death worldwide. Nearly 5 million of these deaths are associated with antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
“Access to effective antibiotics is essential to patients worldwide,” said series co-author Iruka Okeke of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. “A failure to provide these antibiotics puts us at risk for not meeting the UN sustainable development goals on child survival and health ageing.”
The study highlights the vulnerability of babies, children, the elderly, and chronically ill individuals to AMR due to their higher risk of contracting bacterial infections. One-third of newborn deaths globally are caused by infections, with half due to sepsis.
Co-author Joseph Lewnard from the University of California, Berkeley, emphasised the importance of focusing on proven infection prevention interventions to tackle AMR.
The modelling analysis estimates that improving healthcare facility infection control could save up to 337,000 lives annually, while universal access to safe drinking water and sanitation could prevent approximately 247,800 deaths. Expanding paediatric vaccinations could save an additional 181,500 lives per year.
“If we can focus on improving infection control methods, water and sanitation and vaccination in LMICs then it should be possible to reduce the number of deaths linked with AMR by 10% by 2030,” said co-author Yewande Alimi from Africa CDC.
The series also examines evidence for preventing resistance emergence in bacteria, alongside infection prevention. While antibiotic stewardship is thought to reduce the selection pressure for resistance development, there is a lack of research in this area, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
The increasing number of bacterial infections no longer responding to available antibiotics indicates an urgent need to invest in and ensure global access to new antibiotics, vaccines, and diagnostic tests. The authors suggest that new, publicly funded models of antibiotic development based on public-private partnerships could increase the availability of novel alternatives and make them more accessible to patients.
Co-author Ramanan Laxminarayan, president of One Health Trust and senior research scholar at Princeton University, emphasised the importance of access and affordability in reducing AMR’s impact.
AMR will be addressed for the second time during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in September 2024. “The window of opportunity to ensure our ability to treat bacterial infections is shrinking,” added Laxminarayan. “We need immediate action and the tools to do so are widely available.”
