Nearly 1 Million Deaths Annually Are Linked to Antimicrobial Resistance

A recent report from the World Animal Protection (WAP) revealed that almost one million human deaths globally are linked to antibiotic resistance each year, primarily driven by antimicrobial use in factory farming. The report, titled “Global Public Health Cost of Antimicrobial Resistance Related to Antibiotic Use on Factory Farms,” analyzed the global links between antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial use in farming, specifically meat and dairy production.

According to the analysis, most antibiotics manufactured worldwide treat farm animals. Nearly 73% of global antibiotic usage is allocated to farm animals used for meat or producing animal products.

While antibiotic use in veterinary spaces is critical for treating sick animals, preventing disease transmission between animals, and minimizing the risk of human infections, most antibiotics used on farms are not for treating sick animals. The report notes that roughly 84% of farm antibiotics are used without evidence of disease. With animals packed closely together, farmers do so to prevent infection and ensure productivity.

However, as scientists have pointed out time and time again, overuse of antibiotics does more harm than good. Excessive antibiotic use can cause bacteria to evolve and become drug resistant, meaning that they will be difficult or nearly impossible to treat when they infect humans.

The report calculates that a 1,000-ton increase in antimicrobial use on animals is linked to a 21% increase in resistant infections that can impact humans.

Furthermore, the study identified four superbugs connected to antimicrobial use in factory farms: Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Campylobacter, and non-typhoidal Salmonella. These superbugs, which likely developed antimicrobial resistance due to antimicrobial use in factory farms, are linked to 975,000 human deaths and 35 million illnesses annually.

Independently, roughly 73% of E. coli infections in humans are resistant to aminopenicillins. Comparatively, only 1% are resistant to glycylcyclines. The report’s authors postulate that stark differences between resistance rates are linked to the high use of aminopenicillins and the low use of glycylcyclines in factory farms.

The study also calculated the economic losses associated with the high rate of antimicrobial resistance, estimating that $400 billion in global GDP is lost annually due to illnesses related to these superbugs.

By 2050, researchers anticipate that the annual deaths associated with antimicrobial resistance will rise to 2 million, leading to $1.67 trillion lost annually.

“Antibiotic resistance is a rapidly growing public health threat, and the clear link to factory farming exposed in this report demonstrates the urgent need for food systems that protect animals and humans. Meat and dairy production in the US accounts for around 11 million kg of antibiotics sold each year, which has increased in recent years,” said Annette Manusevich, Farming Campaign Manager, World Animal Protection, US, in the press release. “Urgent action is needed to regulate the use of antibiotics in the agriculture industry and reduce meat in diets in high-meat consuming countries to build a more sustainable food system and stop the next global health crisis."

As the understanding of antimicrobial resistance, factory farming, and their impacts on human health grows, healthcare professionals and activists must advocate for improved farming policies.