A World Health Organization report found that one in six laboratory-confirmed bacterial infections in 2023 resisted antibiotic treatment. Resistance increased in more than 40 percent of the monitored pathogen-antibiotic combinations between 2018 and 2023. The problem was especially severe in regions where health systems had fewer resources for diagnosis and treatment. Some bloodstream infections caused by resistant bacteria can lead to sepsis, organ failure and death.
The findings do not mean that antibiotics have stopped working everywhere. They show that treatment choices are becoming narrower for several common infections, making accurate testing increasingly important. Surveillance has expanded substantially, yet many countries still lack reliable reporting systems. WHO therefore calls for responsible antibiotic use, stronger laboratories, access to vaccines and continued research into new treatments. Responsible use means choosing antibiotics only when they are needed and selecting them with appropriate evidence.