Improved infection prevention could prevent 750,000 deaths a year from superbugs.

This article was originally published in English

Strengthening basic infection control measures could prevent 750,000 deaths a year from antibiotic resistance in developing countries, according to a new study.

Antimicrobial resistance caused by bacteria, virus or other microbes stop responding to medications public health threat worldwide, and researchers estimate that almost 5 million deaths associated with him all over the world.

Excessive use of antibiotics

According to experts, this is mainly due to the use wrong and excessive use of antibiotics in People, animals And floors.

Researchers recommend new global targets to combat bacterial pathogens and their endurance to medications.

They also quantify how vaccination promotionaccess to clean water and prevention of hospital-acquired infections can stop these bacterial diseases before medications are needed.

“In many low- and middle-income countries there are highly treatable infectionspreventable, which leads to most deaths“, he claimed Ramanan Lakshminarayanco-author of the study and president of the research organization Unified Health Fund.

Risk of bacterial infections

According to previous research, about 7.7 million deaths worldwide are caused by bacterial infections, accounting for about one-eighth of deaths worldwide. Preventing these infections in the first place can help combat drug resistance, he said.

“Even though the show is about drug resistance, what we see here is that yes, it is a problem, but in fact, even before we get to that, there are a lot of deaths that could be prevented by just doing what we we do. I already know how to do it,” said Laxminarayan, who is also a senior fellow at America’s Princeton University.

All you have to do is wash your hands to save lives.

Researchers estimate that improving infection control in health care settings through handwashing and regular cleaning could save nearly 340,000 lives a year.

He access to drinking water could prevent an additional 247,000 deaths, and access to pediatric vaccines could save 181,500 lives, they added.

The researchers will present the series at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, which brings together all members World Health Organization (WHO).

New targets to combat antimicrobial resistance

The series of studies also includes proposed targets to combat antimicrobial resistance, which will be discussed at the high-level meeting of UN General Assembly in September.

The goal is “10, 20, 30” and includes Decrease in mortality by 10% due to antibiotic resistance through increased infection prevention measures.

They also recommend reducing by 20%misuse of antibiotics in humansfor example, its use for mild respiratory infections, as well as a 30% reduction in the inappropriate use of antibiotics in animals, for example for growth promotion.

These goals are “feasible but also ambitious,” Lakshminarayan said, adding that better use of appropriate antibiotics for people with limited access could help.

“We say that everyone should have access to effective antibiotics, but also that inappropriate use of them should be reduced by 20%. Both things are possible at the same time because many people use antibiotics that are not suitable“, he claimed.

Any new antibiotic must be accessible and affordable to patients, he added.

Poorly prepared health system

In the series’ comments, 12 people suffering from antibiotic resistance say that because there are many drug-resistant pathogens, collecting data can be difficult.

One of the co-authors of the related commentary, Nour Shamas, a member of the WHO working group on survivors of antimicrobial resistance and an infectious disease specialist, said in a statement that her mother became infected with drug-resistant bacteria in kidneys And urethra after surgery.

“In that Lebanonhow in many other countriesOur healthcare system is ill-prepared to protect patients from antimicrobial resistance: there are gaps in control effective against infections and sanitationimportant shortage of medicinesand antimicrobials, if available, are often prescribed off-label,” he said.

“My mother is just one of the millions of patients around the world who develop an antimicrobial-resistant infection every year while in hospital,” he added, calling for a reduction in illness and antibiotic resistance. urgent global priority.