Bacteriophages,Antimicrobial Resistance and One Health: An Integrated Approach

Abstract

Antimicrobials are used to treat and prevent infections caused by microbes—including bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses—in humans, animals, and plants. However, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as a critical global health threat, driven largely by the inappropriate use and overuse of existing antimicrobials, along with a lack of development of new, effective alternatives. As resistance spreads, conventional treatments become less effective, undermining our ability to manage infections across sectors.If left unaddressed, the consequences of AMR will be severe. Economic projections estimate a potential decline in global GDP of 1.1% to 3.8% by 2050 and the recent Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance (GRAM) report, a comprehensive assessment of the AMR crisis, estimates that by 2050, AMR could cause 1.91 million deaths directly attributable to resistance and 8.22 million associated deaths annually—a nearly 70% increase in yearly mortality compared to 2021. These projections mark a tipping point in the global health landscape. Urgent, coordinated action is required to avert this trajectory and safeguard progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Key priorities include evolving regulatory and policy frameworks, promoting infection prevention, accelerating the discovery of new antimicrobials and ensuring their equitable access, and fostering responsible use through improved antimicrobial stewardship and sustained behavioural change with a One Health approach.