Global burden of bacterial antimicrobial resistance 1990–2021: a systematic analysis with forecasts to 2050 (28 September 2024)

Summary

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses an important global health challenge. Evaluating changing trends in AMR mortality across time and location is necessary to understand how this important global health threat is developing and prepares us to make informed decisions regarding interventions. This study presents the first comprehensive assessment of the global burden of AMR from 1990 to 2021, with results forecasted until 2050. The results showed a high variability of AMR burden by location and age, so it is important that interventions combine infection prevention, vaccination, minimisation of inappropriate antibiotic use in farming and humans and research into new antibiotics to mitigate the number of AMR deaths that are forecasted for 2050.