WHO warns of surging antibiotic resistance
The World Health Organization warned Monday that antimicrobial‑resistant infections are rising worldwide, with 1 in 6 lab‑confirmed bacterial infections in 2023 resistant to antibiotics and resistance increasing in more than 40% of monitored drugs over the past five years. The report highlights high resistance in common pathogens E. coli and K. pneumoniae to first‑line third‑generation cephalosporins and flags major surveillance gaps, while the CDC separately reports U.S. 'nightmare bacteria' infections jumped nearly 70% since 2019.
Health
Science
International
📌 Key Facts
- WHO says 1 in 6 bacterial infections in 2023 were antibiotic‑resistant
- Resistance increased in over 40% of 22 monitored antibiotics (avg. 5–15% annual rise, 2019–2023)
- 40%+ of E. coli and 55% of K. pneumoniae infections resist third‑generation cephalosporins
- 48% of countries provided no AMR data to WHO; highest resistance in Southeast Asia and Eastern Mediterranean
- CDC: U.S. 'nightmare bacteria' infections rose ~70% between 2019 and 2023