Climate Change may worsen the spread of drug resistant infections, study warns
Climate change may exacerbate the spread of infections that don’t respond to common antibiotics, with developing nations being most at risk, according to a new study in Nature Medicine.
The study challenges the notion that the rise of antimicrobial resistance, or AMR, is solely due to the overconsumption of antibiotics, putting a spotlight on factors such as healthcare spending, air pollution and raising temperatures.
Bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics were responsible for an estimated 1.1 million deaths globally in 2021, a toll that may reach nearly 2 million by mid century.
Researchers looked at more than 4,500 monitoring records collected between 1999 and 2022, and used computer models to identify the influence of climate change on the global burden of antimcrobial resistance. They found that under a high-emissions scenario rich nations would face an increase in drug-resistant infections of less than 1 per cent through 2050. Conversely, low-income countries could see an increase of up to 4 per cent as emissions rise.
Other factors that were found to be significant in staving off drug-resistance in poorer nations include reducing out-of-pocket treatment expenses and better immunization. These often overlooked measures may bring greater benefits than just curbing over-prescription of common antibiotics such as Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, according to the authors.
“The research underscores that focusing solely on antibiotic overuse is insufficient.” said Chaojie Liu, co-author of the study and professor at School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University. “Without embedding AMR management into broader sustainable development efforts, the global burden of resistance is projected to worsen dramatically.”
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Published on April 29, 2025
