Air pollution may be increasing antibiotic resistance, new research suggests

Aerial view of fog over London.
(Image credit: Andrew Holt / Getty Images)

Worsening air pollution could be fueling the evolution of superbugs, or antibiotic-resistant bacteria, according to a paper published in The Lancet Planetary Health. Researchers found "significant correlations" between antibiotic resistance and the concentration of air pollutants known as PM 2.5, The Washington Post reported.

The study looked at data from 116 countries from 2000 to 2018 and found that "correlations between PM 2.5 and antibiotic resistance are consistent across the world in most antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and that the correlations have strengthened over time." Scientists estimated that antibiotic resistance stemming from air pollution caused around 480,000 premature deaths in 2018, an amount they posit will increase by over 50% by 2050.

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Devika Rao, The Week US

 Devika Rao has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022, covering science, the environment, climate and business. She previously worked as a policy associate for a nonprofit organization advocating for environmental action from a business perspective.