GENEVA, Switzerland – The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the world is edging closer to a post-antibiotic era, as lifesaving drugs increasingly fail to treat common infections.
According to WHO’s Global Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Report 2025, nearly one in six bacterial infections recorded globally in 2023 did not respond to standard antibiotic treatment — a stark sign that drug resistance is spreading faster than efforts to contain it.
The report links the surge in resistance to misuse of antibiotics, weak infection control measures, and fragile health surveillance systems, particularly in developing regions.
“Drug resistance is spreading faster than our ability to respond, and that puts every person at risk,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Countries must not only invest in surveillance and research but also ensure rational antibiotic use and access to vaccines and reliable diagnostics.”
Rising Resistance in Developing Regions
Data collected from 104 countries through WHO’s Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) show that resistance has worsened in more than 40 percent of monitored pathogen–antibiotic combinations since 2018.
The problem is most severe in South-East Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean, where one in three infections now resists treatment.
In Africa, one in five bacterial infections is resistant, with some nations reporting rates above 70 percent — a trend WHO attributes to limited diagnostic capacity and poor access to quality medicines.
Common Bacteria Losing Potency
Among the most alarming findings are rising resistance rates in E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae — two of the most common bacteria causing life-threatening infections.
Over half of the samples tested showed no response to third-generation cephalosporins, the standard antibiotics used for severe infections.
Resistance to carbapenems and fluoroquinolones — often considered the “last line” of defense — has also increased, leaving doctors with few effective treatment options, especially in low- and middle-income countries where newer drugs are either unavailable or prohibitively expensive.
Progress and Persistent Gaps
Despite the grim findings, WHO noted some progress in surveillance and data-sharing efforts. The number of countries participating in GLASS has more than quadrupled since its launch in 2016.
However, nearly half of these countries still lack robust systems capable of generating reliable, high-quality data.
Dr. Tedros urged governments and health agencies to accelerate action against antimicrobial resistance through the “One Health” approach, which integrates human, animal, and environmental health efforts.
“Our collective future depends on coordinated action,” he said. “We must invest in next-generation treatments and ensure antibiotics are used responsibly to protect future generations from untreatable infections.”
