The war in Ukraine is fueling antimicrobial resistance

The war in Ukraine is increasing the spread of antimicrobial resistance, said Dr. Laura Jung, a clinician and researcher on antibiotic resistance at the University of Leipzig Medical Center in Germany, during the World Health Summit on Tuesday. 

“Right now in the hospital, the most resistant infections that we are seeing are people that come from Ukraine that got wounded in battles, treated in field hospitals, and then at some point made it to Germany or to central Europe,” she said. “And it’s very devastating and very concerning as a clinician when you get back those lab results. … You end up very empty-handed in front of your patients.”