Publication: Drug-Resistant Infections: A Threat to Our Economic Future
Date
2017-03
ISSN
Published
2017-03
Author(s)
World Bank
Abstract
This report examines the economic and
development consequences of antimicrobial
resistance(AMR)—the capacity that disease-causing
microorganisms acquire to resist the drugs we've
createdto fight them. The report uses World Bank Group
economic simulation tools to put a price tag onAMR's
destructive impacts on the global economy from 2017 through
2050, if adequate measuresaren't taken to contain the
AMR threat. The report highlights actions low- and
middle-income countries and their development partners can
take to counter AMR, and estimates the investment required.
It shows that putting resources into AMR containment now is
one of the highest-yield investments countries can make.
Antimicrobials are drugs that destroy disease-causing
microbes, also called pathogens, such as certain bacteria,
viruses, parasites, and fungi. The most familiar and
important antimicrobials are antibiotics, which treat
bacterial infections. Other antimicrobials combat viral and
parasitic diseases, such as AIDS and malaria. Since their
use began some 70 years ago, antimicrobials have saved
hundreds of millions of lives.
Citation
“World Bank. 2017. Drug-Resistant Infections; Drug-Resistant Infections : A Threat to Our Economic Future. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/26707 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”