Ageing populations could lead to a rise in bloodstream infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria across Europe over the next decade, according to a new study published in PLOS Medicine.
Published
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global health threat. Understanding how changing populations will affect infection rates is vital for designing effective prevention and control strategies.
Researchers at City St George’s School of Health and Medical Sciences and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) analysed more than 12 million blood test results collected from 29 European countries between 2010 and 2019. They used these data to project how drug-resistant bacterial bloodstream infections may change up to 2050, taking into account population age and sex.
The study found that resistant bloodstream infections are likely to increase, with differences between countries and between bacteria types. The biggest rises are expected among older adults, especially those aged 74 and above, and among men for most bacteria–antibiotic combinations. The researchers found that models which ignore age and sex may underestimate future infection rates.
Even with strong public health actions, meeting the United Nations goal of a 10% reduction in resistant infections by 2030 was only possible for about two-thirds of bacteria–antibiotic combinations studied.
Dr Catrin Moore, Reader in Global Health and Infectious Diseases who was involved in the study, said:
Professor Gwen Knight, co-Director of the AMR Centre at LSHTM and lead author, said:
“What I found most interesting was bringing together different strands of data to show the bigger picture. Age and sex are still rarely considered in antimicrobial resistance projections, yet they make a real difference to who is most affected. Combining these factors with demographic and infection trends really highlighted how challenging it will be to reverse the steady rise in bloodstream infections across Europe.”