While pandemics have been the focus of infection-related risks recently, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing threat. From an organizational perspective, individual employees are clearly at risk but, should a virulent and resistant microorganism sweep through an organization, acute workforce issues could occur.
Antimicrobial resistance is a global health concern where microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites change in ways that render the medications used to cure the infections they cause ineffective. AMR may lead to longer periods of sickness absence, prolonged hospital stays, and increased mortality. The primary cause of resistance is the overuse and misuse of antimicrobial drugs. This includes not only excessive prescription of antibiotics in humans but also in animals, particularly in agriculture for purposes of growth promotion and disease prevention.
Antimicrobial resistance and climate change
According to evidence that will be presented at the ESCMID (European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases) Global Congress, which is taking place in Barcelona from 27-30 April Climate change is multiplying the threat caused by antimicrobial resistance, amplifying its growing risk. This warning will be given in a evidence review by Professor Sabiha Essack, South African Research Chair in Antibiotic Resistance and One Health at the Antimicrobial Research Unit, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
Prof Essack explains that climate change a threat multiplier for AMR because it exerts it effects through transport and population growth on spread of disease, while also increasing risk of AMR at the biological level by changing the physical and environmental conditions in which microbes live.
“Climate change compromises the ecological and environmental integrity of living systems and enables pathogens to increasingly cause disease. The impact on water systems, food-producing animals, and crops threatens global food supply. Human activities associated with population growth and transport, together with climate change increases antibiotic resistance and the spread of waterborne and vector- borne diseases of humans, animals and plants.”
She explains that, as for all life, temperature is critical to bacterial processes and infections. “As temperatures increase with climate change, bacterial infection rates may increase and diseases can spread to higher altitudes and latitudes where they were not previously found,” says Professor Essack. “Examples include rising temperatures in water systems contributing to the better survival of Campylobacter, Salmonella, and Vibrio species that cause water-borne and food-borne diseases. Candida auris has gained thermo-tolerance and salinity (salt) tolerance on wetland ecosystems. Escherichia coli and some of the ESKAPE pathogens grow optimally at 32-36 degrees C.” ESKAPE pathogens are a group of pathogens, Enterococci, S. aureus, K. pneumoniae, A baumannii, P aeruginosa and Enterobacter, that can ‘escape’ the action of antibiotics.
She adds: “The increased temperatures and incidence and prevalence of infectious diseases will increase antimicrobial use and subsequent selection pressure for resistance – or in other words, make it easier for microbes to develop AMR.”
She highlights an example from a study in the USA, where a map of increasing E. Coli resistance mirrors changes in temperature over 30 years. With more countries experiencing higher average temperatures each season, the ability of these bacteria to become antibiotic-resistant is increasing.
