Antibiotic-resistant germs are one of worlds' leading infectious killers now: WHO

New Delhi: In a recent statement, the World Health Organization has stated that more than 1.2 million deaths are reported globally in one year due to anibiotic resistant germs. A new research has revealed that these superbugs have joined the ranks of the world's leading infectious disease killers.

The new estimate was given in the newly published article in the medical journal Lancet on Thursday, reports the Live Mint. However, the new estimate does not give the complete count of the deaths which are caused by the antibiotic resistant germs, but is a attempt to fill in gaps from countries that report little or no data on the germs' toll.

The new paper estimates the deaths associated with 23 germs in 2014 countries and territories in 2019. They made use of data which was available from hospitals, surveillance systems, other studies and other sources to produces death estimates in all parts of the world.

The paper concludes that more than 1.2 million people died in 2019 from antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections, which shows the resistance problems which re also visible in drugs that target fungi and viruses. The estimate has also taken into account the deaths caused due to drug-resistant tuberculosis, which shows that the deaths caused due to the antibiotic resistant germs is greater than those caused due to malaria and HIV.

In their statement, the WHO states that the new study "clearly demonstrates the existential threat", posed by the drug resistant germs.

The WHO gave a global estimate, which is several years' old, mentioned that around 700,000 people die each year due to antimicrobial-resistant germs. However, health officials already had mentioned that very little information is available in many countries on this, as per the report in Live Mint.

Further, it noted, "Lack of robust global data and evidence of the impact of drug-resistance has been a critical knowledge gap and has hampered efforts to advocate for policies and practices to control." It stated, "WHO supports efforts to determine the full extent of burden of disease from #AntimicrobialResistance and calls for significant strengthening of microbiology laboratory networks worldwide together with innovative surveys to fill data gaps going forward."

When the germs like bacteria and fungi get the power to overcome the resistance which was offered by some drugs designed to kill them, this is when anti-microbial resistance occurs. It is not a novel problem. However, the issue is growing to be critical, since there are lack of drugs to fight these germs.

The health officials across the world have been attempting to create efforts to look at fundings and solutions, including to get a better estimate of the death toll around the world caused by this. In U.S, the Centers for Disease Control have estimated that around more than 35, 000 americans die every year due to antibiotic resistant infections, or over 1% of people who get the infections.

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