Climate change and antimicrobial resistance are among the biggest threats to global health, according to a new report by the United Nations Environment Program.

Written by| ANNA SAM

Feb 13, 2023  - World

Health section - CJ journalist

 

The report, titled "preparedness to combat intractable germs," highlights the role of climate change and other environmental factors contributing to the increase in antimicrobial resistance.

The report was announced at the sixth meeting of the global leadership group on antimicrobial resistance in Barbados.

Antimicrobial resistance occurs when germs, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi, develop the ability to overcome drugs designed to kill them.

According to the report, about 5 million deaths worldwide were associated with antimicrobial resistance in 2019, and the annual number is expected to rise to 10 million by 2050 if steps are not taken to stop its spread.

It is possible that drug resistance develops naturally, but experts said that the excessive use of antimicrobials for humans, animals, and food production has accelerated the process.

To date, the focus on the excessive use of antimicrobials has largely fallen, but experts noted that there is growing evidence showing that environmental factors play an important role in the development, transmission and spread of antimicrobial resistance.

Dr. Scott Roberts, an infectious disease specialist at the Yale School of Medicine who was not involved in the report, said: "climate change, pollution, changes in our weather patterns, increased rainfall, increased cities and overcrowded urban areas, all this facilitates the spread of antibiotic resistance. I am sure that it will increase over time unless we take relatively drastic measures to limit it,"he said.

The climate crisis is exacerbating antimicrobial resistance in several ways.

Research has shown that high temperatures increase the growth rate of bacteria and the spread of antibiotic-resistant genes among microorganisms.

Experts also explained that severe flooding caused by climate change can lead to overcrowding, poor sanitation, and increased pollution.

It is known that such situations increase the rates of infection and antimicrobial resistance, as human waste, heavy metals, and other contaminants in water create favorable conditions for the development of resistance in germs.

Environmental stresses give rise to germs that thrive in the human body.

These types of infections endanger developments in the medical field, such as joint replacement, organ transplantation, chemotherapy, procedures in which patients are at high risk of infection, during which they require the use of effective antibiotics.

Drug-resistant infections can make treatment difficult or impossible.

One of the decisive steps to combat this problem is to reduce the overuse and abuse of antibiotics.

The authors of the UN report write that "antibiotics and antifungals do not work on viruses, such as colds and flu. And these medicines are life-saving. But any time they are used, they can lead to side effects and the development of antimicrobial resistance,"he said.

Experts also emphasized that special steps to reduce climate change are also steps to reduce antimicrobial resistance.

Source (CNN)