Bacteria, after overconsumption antibiotics decades ago, began to become resistant to these substances. This phenomenon causes many problems in treating infections and is considered by the World Health Organization to be one of the “most serious threats to global health”. It is the un which has now sounded the alarm bells as part of a study by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).
This report, entitled “Frontières 2017”, addresses the environmental dimension of antimicrobial resistance. The latter is caused by the release of drugs and certain chemicals from hospitals and households, but also from the agricultural sector. Streams, soils and sediments are then polluted by high doses of antibiotics.
“Fierce superbugs”
According to UNEP, the use of antibiotics in humans has increased by 36% during the 21st century. Bacteria, forced to defend themselves against the antibiotics they encounter, mutate and develop resistance genes that they can transmit to other bacteria. Globally, around 700,000 people die from resistant infections each year because the drugs no longer work.
Erik Solheim, Executive Director of UNEP said that “the warning given in this report is truly frightening. Humans could participate in the development of ferocious superbugs due to our ignorance and neglect ”. A problem that could worsen because the report explains that the consumption of antibiotics by livestock should increase by 67% by 2030.
Consume and reject less antibiotics
In order to solve this problem, UNEP believes that the first step is to study “the use and disposal of pharmaceutical antibiotics as well as the release of antimicrobial drugs”. The aim would be to determine which antibiotics remain bioactive once released into the environment, or to improve wastewater treatment.
In France, our consumption of antibiotics is on average 30% higher than that of other European countries. However, in 30% to 50% of cases, this is unnecessary. That is why a year ago the Intergovernmental Committee drew up a roadmap aimed at raising public awareness, using antibiotics more judiciously, supporting research and innovation and finally, strengthening surveillance. Ultimately, the goal is to succeed in reducing our consumption of antibiotics by 35% by the end of 2018.
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