Insights into the burden of bacterial antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region: a crucial step towards evidence-informed and targeted public health interventions

This study aimed to provide detailed estimates of the Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) burden in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region. The study used data from mortality registries, surveillance systems, hospital records, literature reviews, and other sources to estimate deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) due to AMR for 23 bacterial pathogens and 88 pathogen-drug combinations for 2019 and the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study found that bacterial AMR imposes a significant burden in the region, with an estimated 465,000 deaths associated with and 124,000 directly attributable to resistance. Respiratory infections were the most significant cause of fatal AMR burden. A higher burden was observed in nations with a lower Socio-demographic Index. Strategies must be tailored and targeted to address the specific characteristics of the predominant pathogens and the most critical pathogen-drug combinations.