The costs and risks of AMR water pollution

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) from water pollution is a major global health challenge. Antimicrobial drugs
play an essential role in healthcare systems around the world – since their discovery, many infectious
diseases that were once leading causes of death can now be treated straightforwardly. But they are losing
their effectiveness due to the development of AMR, with between 2.4 and 10 million additional deaths per
year by 2050 expected as a result. Water pollution and management strategies can have a pivotal effect on
the rapidity of AMR development and the outcomes this leads to, but the relative importance of various
impact channels and management options remains poorly understood. This paper aims to provide a basis for
more effective action to address AMR in water by providing an accessible overview of how AMR causes risks
and an assessment of the importance and distribution of this risk across the world.

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