Antimicrobial Resistance: The Emerging Threat Amplified by Air Pollution

The alarming connection between air pollution and the rise of antibiotic resistance, a global health concern with far-reaching consequences.

Highlights:

The recent Lancet report highlights that a rise in air pollution significantly correlates with antibiotic resistance escalation
Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) claimed 1.27 million lives in 2019, marking it as a pressing global threat
Inadequate use of antimicrobial in agriculture, overuse of antibiotics, and contamination in pharmaceutical industries are major AMR contributors

According to the Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance (GRAM) report, 1.27 million people died in 2019 as a direct result of AMR (AntiMicrobial Resistance).

Antimicrobial Resistance is listed under top ten global threats according to the WHO.

What are the Factors Causing Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in Living Beings

Antimicrobial Resistance remains a potential health hazard. ICMR study states that there is an increase resistance of 5-10% every year. This sheds light on the importance of knowing the cause of it to regulate reforms and strategies to combat its effects.

Test your Knowledge on Antibiotic Resistance
Antibiotic resistance is a growing public health concern that has reached gigantic proportions. Antibiotic resistance is a change that occurs in bacteria when they are exposed to antibiotics used to treat infections caused by them. This change makes ...

‘For every 1 percent rise in air pollution, the escalation in antibiotic resistance varies between 0.5 percent to 1.9 percent #airpollution #antimicrobial resistance.’

Common causes are as follows:

Inappropriate use of Antimicrobials in agriculture through pesticides
Overuse and Improper use of antibiotics without proper prescription from physicians
Usage of antibiotics in livestock
Contamination in Pharmacological industries
No proper regulation of water recycling plants

Air Pollution: The Emerging Cause of AMR

The recent Lancet report delivers the study disclosing a distinct connection between the amounts of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) – minuscule particles significantly tinier than a human hair – and the development of antibiotic resistance (). For every 1 percent rise in air pollution, the escalation in antibiotic resistance varies between 0.5 percent to 1.9 percent, contingent upon the specific pathogen.

Lead author of the study, Professor Hong Chen from Zhejiang University, China, underscores that both antibiotic resistance and air pollution pose significant threats to global health.

This research underscores the dual advantage of curbing air pollution – not only would it mitigate the detrimental impacts of poor air quality, but it could also effectively combat the proliferation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

New Treatment Could Reverse Antibiotic Resistance
New potential treatment has the ability to reverse antibiotic resistance in bacteria that cause conditions such as sepsis, pneumonia, and urinary tract infections.

The areas with the highest antibiotic resistance levels are North Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia, whereas Europe and North America exhibit lower levels. In 2018 alone, approximately 480,000 premature deaths were attributed to antibiotic resistance linked to air pollution.

China and India, owing to their substantial populations, are particularly susceptible, as changes in PM2.5 levels significantly impact their premature mortality rates due to antibiotic resistance.

New Device Helps Measure Air Pollution
Air pollution is a major global threat. Scientists have developed a new device to measure the air quality.

The study identifies PM2.5 as a pivotal contributor to antibiotic resistance, attributing 11 percent of global variations in resistance levels to this factor. In contrast, health expenditures and access to drinking water services account for 10 percent and 3 percent, respectively, of such variations.

Absence of alterations in existing air pollution policies would lead to a projected 17 percent surge in global antibiotic resistance by 2050, resulting in around 840,000 yearly untimely deaths due to resistance-related causes.

Should Insurance Cover Deaths Caused By Air Pollution?
Air pollution might be responsible for serious deaths such as that caused tobacco say the statistics.

However, embracing a policy recommended by the World Health Organization to cap PM2.5 levels at 5 micrograms/m³ could yield a 23 percent reduction in premature deaths associated with antibiotic resistance, thereby preventing around 630,000 fatalities.

The researchers acknowledge data limitations, particularly in low- and middle-income nations, which bear the brunt of the antibiotic resistance crisis.

Reference:

Association between particulate matter (PM)2·5 air pollution and clinical antibiotic resistance: a global analysis - (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(23)00135-3/fulltext)

Source-Medindia