Antibiotics contaminate the world's rivers

From the Mekong to the Seine, the world's first study of antibiotics in the world's rivers has revealed that some contain concentrations up to 300 times higher than "safe" levels.

Antibiotic pollution was found in two-thirds of the rivers sampled.

Scientists from York University in England have tested river samples from 72 countries. They found that the safety limits for the most commonly used antibiotics had been exceeded on all continents, but the highest levels were recorded in Bangladesh, Kenya, Ghana, Pakistan and Nigeria.

Describing their findings as "revealing and disturbing," the scientists said the resolution of the problem would be a mammoth task involving investment in wastewater treatment, tighter regulation and remediation of contaminated rivers.

"Many scientists and decision makers now recognize the role of the natural environment in the problem of antimicrobial resistance. Our data shows that contamination of rivers with antibiotics may be an important factor, "said Alistair Boxall, York Environmental Sustainability Institute.

According to the Alliance for Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), antibiotic-resistant infections already kill more than 700,000 each year. With more and more bacteria developing immunity to treatment, the Alliance of Leading Drug Manufacturers claims that super-microbes will kill more people than cancer by mid-century.

The overuse of antibiotics leads us into a post-antibiotic world in which people will again die from common infections and minor injuries, said the World Health Organization, calling antibiotic resistance of greater threat to humanity.

Bacterial resistance is increasing rapidly in areas where antibiotics for human and animal use can be purchased without a prescription.

A study on the use of antibiotics in developing countries showed that medical personnel prescribe antibiotics as a preventive measure, even though patients were suffering from a virus against which treatments were deemed ineffective .

Scientists say the only way to slow the growth of resistant infections is to reduce the use of antibiotics worldwide. But new evidence suggests that limiting the prescription to occasional use may not be as effective as previously hoped.

A study by Harvard University on patients in the United States found that occasional use of low intensity by a large number of people resulted in greater resistance to intensive use by a few.

"The more antibiotics are used, the greater the resistance to antibiotics, but it seems that the number of people taking antibiotics weighs more than the amount taken," said lead author Scott Olesen.

In its report on antimicrobial resistance, the World Economic Forum says poor financial performance is holding back the development of new antibiotics as the global antibiotic market, valued at $ 40 billion a year, is dominated by generic drugs sold at low prices. price.

The report says that pharmaceutical companies will invest in new treatments only if they are able to recover the costs of research. And he calls for increased public funding for research and guaranteed financial returns to encourage companies to find new treatments.

The opinions expressed in this article are binding only on the author and not the World Economic Forum.