Source: UN News: Friday, 17 October 2025 00:01 AM
Globally, one in six infections caused by bacteria will be ineffective by antibiotics by 2023, and such diseases are becoming increasingly difficult to treat. The World Health Organization (WHO) in a new report on Monday shared the worrying trend of developing resistance against antibiotics in dangerous bacteria. This analysis is based on those infections caused by bacteria, which were confirmed in laboratories. When antimicrobial drugs stop having an effect on microorganisms like bacteria, viruses and parasites, then a situation of antimicrobial resistance arises. Due to drug resistance, antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs become ineffective, making infections difficult or impossible to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, serious illness, disability, and death.’Global antibiotic resistance surveillance report 2025The study assessed infections caused by eight common bacteria in the urinary tract, gastrointestinal tract and other organs, including the bloodstream, and the 22 antibiotics used to treat them. According to the UN health agency, the bacteria and their antibiotic treatment regimens monitored accounted for more than 40 percent of the cases between 2018 and 2023. Increase in resistance was observed. On average, this resistance is worsening by 5-15 percent every year. That is, many harmful bacteria are now developing resistance to antibiotics and this problem is gradually increasing.WHO WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has warned that antimicrobial resistance is outpacing advances in modern medicine, threatening the health of families around the world. He called for strengthening AMR surveillance, responsible use of antibiotics, and access to the right medicines for every person. © UNICEF/Harikrishna Katragadda A doctor is examining patients in a clinic in a rural area of India. Worrying situation in some areas. The team of UN Health Agency has prepared this analysis on the basis of data received from 100 countries. The organization estimates that the highest incidence of antibiotic resistance is seen in the South-East Asia and Eastern Mediterranean regions, where resistance has been recorded in one in every three infections. In the African region, resistance has been seen in one in every five infections. This resistance is common in areas where health systems do not have sufficient capacity to diagnose or treat infections caused by bacteria. The analysis shows that E. coli and K. pneumoniae are the most worrisome drug-resistant bacteria found in bloodstream infections. These can cause sepsis, organ failure, and even death. 40 percent of E. coli and 55 percent of K. pneumoniae are now resistant to drugs used to treat these infections. In African regions, resistance has increased to 70 percent of cases. Some other life-saving antibiotics, such as carbapenems and fluoroquinolones, are now also shown to be ineffective against bacterial infections. This is also challenging because access to these antibiotic treatments is often difficult and expensive, and these treatments are often not available in low- and middle-income countries. According to the UN health agency, cases of increased immunity are more visible in countries where health systems are weak, surveillance capacity is limited, and adequate data is not available. Surveillance systems have improved to some extent, but there are still many shortcomings. The participation of countries in WHO’s surveillance system was only 25 in 2016, which has now increased to 104, but a large number of countries did not provide data for 2023. In view of this, Director General Tedros cautioned that our future depends on strengthening the existing surveillance systems, diagnosis and treatment of infections. Along with this, it is important to develop next generation antibiotics.