New Research Reveals Significant Reduction in Antibiotic Use Through Vaccination
Swapnil R Mishra
Immunization plays a vital role in preventing infections and mitigating the overuse of antibiotics, thereby supporting global initiatives to counter the escalating threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a new World Health Organization (WHO) report reveals.
A recent study reveals that vaccines targeting 24 specific pathogens can decrease global antibiotic usage by 22% or 2.5 billion daily doses annually. Widespread vaccination against these pathogens could also reduce hospital expenditures related to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) by a staggering 33%
The reckless misuse and overuse of antimicrobial medications accelerate antimicrobial resistance (AMR), leading to increased illness, mortality, and transmission of hard-to-treat infections. This growing health crisis claims approximately 5 million lives globally each year
Global leaders have united to tackle antimicrobial resistance, aiming to decrease annual deaths by 10% before 2030. This commitment, made at the 79th UN General Assembly, underscores the urgent need for collective action against AMR
Existing vaccines against pneumococcus pneumonia, Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib), and typhoid can potentially prevent up to 1,06,000 antimicrobial resistance (AMR) related deaths annually.
However, emerging vaccines targeting tuberculosis (TB) and Klebsiella pneumoniae hold promise in preventing an additional 5,43,000 antimicrobial resistance (AMR) related deaths globally each year.
Attaining Immunization Agenda 2030’s goal of vaccinating 90% of the world’s children and older adults could annually prevent 33 million antibiotic doses against Streptococcus pneumoniae, significantly mitigating antimicrobial resistance.
Typhoid vaccines can save 45 million antibiotic doses; jabs against Malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum could save up to 25 million antibiotic doses — often misused to try to treat malaria.
Emerging tuberculosis vaccines could revolutionize antibiotic stewardship, potentially preventing between 1.2 and 1.9 billion antibiotic treatments once developed
