The World Health Organization (WHO) has sounded the alarm over the growing spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, warning that the rise of so-called “superbugs” could undermine modern medicine and turn once-minor infections into deadly diseases.
A new WHO report revealed that one in every six laboratory-confirmed infections worldwide in 2023 showed resistance to treatment, raising serious concerns about the declining effectiveness of antibiotics — one of the foundations of public health.
“The findings are deeply troubling,” said the WHO’s Director of Universal Health Coverage and Communicable Diseases. “As antimicrobial resistance continues to spread, we are running out of options — and lives are being put at risk.”
The report noted that bacterial resistance has been evolving for decades, but the process has accelerated dramatically due to the widespread and often improper use of antibiotics in human medicine, livestock production, and food systems. This trend, the WHO warned, has turned antimicrobial resistance into one of the leading causes of death from infectious diseases worldwide.
According to WHO estimates, antibiotic-resistant pathogens are directly responsible for nearly half a million deaths each year, and contribute to around five million additional fatalities annually.
The report, which examined resistance to 22 types of antibiotics, focused on infections affecting the urinary tract, digestive system, bloodstream, and sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea.
The WHO emphasized that without urgent action — including global surveillance, rational antibiotic use, and investment in new drug development — the world could face a future where common infections once again become lethal.
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