This modelling study assessed the global economic impact of antibiotic-resistant infections and the potential benefits of bacterial vaccines. In 2019, antibiotic-resistant infections infections led to an estimated US$693 billion in hospital costs and US$194 billion in productivity losses worldwide. Bacterial vaccines could prevent significant numbers of infections, reduce antibiotic use, and potentially avert up to US$283 billion in economic losses, highlighting their role in combating antimicrobial resistance.
How can the findings be used?
The study quantifies the global economic burden of antibiotic resistance for 14 bacterial pathogens, highlighting the high hospital costs of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and carbapenem-resistant infections. It also shows that vaccines against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae could avert a significant burden across countries. Bacterial vaccines could prevent 30%–40% of hospital and productivity losses due to antibiotic resistance, supporting investment in vaccine development.
Thumbnail image credit: Study authors
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