The Link Between Air Pollution and Antibiotic Resistance: A Global Study
In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the potential of new diseases to wreck our world has never been more clear—and so is the role that environmental changes play in exacerbating those new diseases. The connections between those factors is still an ongoing investigation, but the more we’re learning, the more we ought to be worried.
Antibiotic Resistance and Air Pollution
A new, first-of-its-kind global study published Monday in The Lancet Planetary Health suggests that antibiotic resistance among pathogenic bacterial diseases may be linked to increases in air pollution—putting people all around the globe at risk of exposure to these infections. While decreasing air pollution could be a significant way to curb such strains from arising—but that will take concerted action among world governments.
“Antibiotic resistance and air pollution are each in their own right among the greatest threats to global health,” Hong Chen, a researcher at Zhejiang University in China and the lead author of the new study, said in a statement. “Until now, we didn’t have a clear picture of the possible links between the two, but this work suggests the benefits of controlling air pollution could be two-fold: not only will it reduce the harmful effects of poor air quality, it could also play a major role in combating the rise and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.”
The Impact of Air Pollution on Antibiotic Resistance
It’s been well established at this point that microbes can hitch a ride on particulate matter that’s able to travel very vast distances around the world. Potential reservoirs of antibiotic resistance bacteria include hospitals, farms, and sewage-treatment plants—all of which use elevated amounts of antibiotics to reduce the number of pathogens circulating around. From any of these locations, air pollution could help carry antibiotic resistant bacteria to new places, blowing through disease control efforts that are already in place.
Global Study Findings
The new study is an analysis of public health data from 116 countries spanning 2000 to 2018, covering nine species of pathogenic bacteria and 43 types of antibiotics, as well levels of PM2.5 pollution (a size of particulate matter critical in air pollution). An analysis of the data—along with other information regarding antibiotic use, sanitation, economics, population, and climate—showed that with every 1 percent rise in PM2.5 air pollution, antibiotic resistance also rises between 0.5–1.9 percent.
The data also revealed that nearly half a million deaths in 2018 were linked to antibiotic resistance potentially connected to air pollution. Unsurprisingly, it is countries in the Global South that also experience some of the worst levels of air pollution—North Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia—where antibiotic resistance is highest.
The Future Impact and Potential Solutions
The researchers also used modeling to determine how this linkage could unfold over the future. What they found was a bit of encouraging news: If the globe could meet World Health Organization air quality guidelines by 2050, this would help reduce the rise of antibiotic resistant infections by 17 percent—potentially saving 23 percent of people who may have otherwise died, and saving up to $640 billion annually.
The new study is an alarming eye-opener, but by no means is it ironclad proof of how air pollution drives antibiotic resistance forward. Many developing countries—often the most impacted by both factors—lack public health data that could have affected the new analyses. Trying to distinguish which countries are facing the biggest risk isn’t easy with so many gaps in the data, and so the results should be taken with a bit of caution when trying to apply to specific regions.
Nevertheless, the study demonstrates that we can no longer simply think of air pollution as its own specific public health hazard. Things are more connected than we realized—and solving one issue will undoubtedly require solving other issues as well.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | Target 3.3: By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases, and other communicable diseases | Indicator: Antibiotic resistance among pathogenic bacterial diseases |
| SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities | Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management | Indicator: Air pollution levels (PM2.5) |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising, and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning | Indicator: Link between air pollution and antibiotic resistance |
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
The article discusses the potential link between antibiotic resistance and air pollution, which poses a threat to global health. This aligns with SDG 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
The article highlights the role of air pollution in exacerbating antibiotic resistance. This connects to SDG 11, which focuses on creating sustainable cities and communities, including addressing air quality issues.
SDG 13: Climate Action
The article emphasizes the need to control air pollution to combat the rise and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This relates to SDG 13, which aims to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
Target 3.3: By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases, and other communicable diseases
The article highlights the potential link between air pollution and antibiotic resistance among pathogenic bacterial diseases. Target 3.3 specifically addresses combating communicable diseases, which includes addressing antibiotic resistance.
Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management
The article emphasizes the role of air pollution in exacerbating antibiotic resistance. Target 11.6 focuses on improving air quality in cities, which is directly relevant to the issue discussed in the article.
Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising, and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning
The article highlights the need to control air pollution to combat antibiotic resistance. Target 13.3 emphasizes the importance of raising awareness and capacity on climate change mitigation, which includes addressing air pollution.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
The article mentions the following indicators:
– Antibiotic resistance among pathogenic bacterial diseases: This indicator can be used to measure progress towards Target 3.3 of SDG 3, as it reflects the effectiveness of efforts to combat antibiotic resistance.
– Air pollution levels (PM2.5): This indicator can be used to measure progress towards Target 11.6 of SDG 11, as it reflects the improvement in air quality in cities.
– Link between air pollution and antibiotic resistance: This indicator can be used to measure progress towards Target 13.3 of SDG 13, as it reflects the understanding and awareness of the connection between air pollution and antibiotic resistance.
Overall, these indicators help track progress in addressing the issues highlighted in the article and achieving the respective targets under the relevant SDGs.
4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | Target 3.3: By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases, and other communicable diseases | Indicator: Antibiotic resistance among pathogenic bacterial diseases |
| SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities | Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management | Indicator: Air pollution levels (PM2.5) |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising, and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning | Indicator: Link between air pollution and antibiotic resistance |
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Source: thedailybeast.com
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