European Union faces 35000 annual deaths from antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance causes an estimated 35,000 deaths every year in the European Union, Euronews reported on Saturday. The health impact of the issue is now comparable to that of influenza, tuberculosis, and HIV or AIDS combined. [1]

Bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant to the drugs designed to eliminate them, placing modern medical progress under threat. Euronews reported that resistance is spreading across humans, animals, and the environment. This ongoing spread has prompted calls for a broader strategy to address the challenge. [1]

Antimicrobial resistance occurs when microbes evolve mechanisms that protect them from drugs used to treat infections in humans, animals, and plants. Resistance can develop in bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi. Microbes that become resistant to multiple drugs are termed multidrug-resistant or superbugs. The misuse and improper management of antimicrobials act as primary drivers of resistance, although it also occurs naturally through genetic mutations. [2]

The threat adds to growing environmental health concerns across the continent. As FTMQ News reported earlier, rising temperatures and environmental pressures are also increasing the burden of neurological disorders in Europe. [4]