ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE: A GROWING GLOBAL HEALTH CHALLENGE AND ITS CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Tatsiana Matsiusheuskaya; Maksymilian Olesiński; Michał Górecki; Wojciech Krzysztof Cyran; Anna Justkowska-Gebauer; Beata Tekieli; Bartosz Gaweł; Krzysztof Machnik; Weronika Cionżyńska; Ewelina Chudyba

doi:10.31435/ijitss.2(50).2026.5658

Authors

Tatsiana Matsiusheuskaya Stefan Żeromski Specialist Hospital in Cracow, os. Na Skarpie 66, 31-913 Cracow, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0007-2984-5356
Maksymilian Olesiński Independent Public Health Care Institution of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration in Krakow, Kraków, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0004-7179-1476
Michał Górecki Stefan Żeromski Specialist Hospital in Cracow, os. Na Skarpie 66, 31-913 Cracow, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0006-0557-868X
Wojciech Krzysztof Cyran Stefan Żeromski Specialist Hospital in Cracow, os. Na Skarpie 66, 31-913 Cracow, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0001-8992-3199
Anna Justkowska-Gebauer Stefan Żeromski Specialist Hospital in Cracow, os. Na Skarpie 66, 31-913 Cracow, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0001-3106-5697
Beata Tekieli Stefan Żeromski Specialist Hospital in Cracow, os. Na Skarpie 66, 31-913 Cracow, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0008-4427-6654
Bartosz Gaweł Stefan Żeromski Specialist Hospital in Cracow, os. Na Skarpie 66, 31-913 Cracow, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0008-7135-7679
Krzysztof Machnik Stefan Żeromski Specialist Hospital in Cracow, os. Na Skarpie 66, 31-913 Cracow, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0000-3345-8593
Weronika Cionżyńska Stefan Żeromski Specialist Hospital in Cracow, os. Na Skarpie 66, 31-913 Cracow, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0007-1464-4957
Ewelina Chudyba Edward Szczeklik Specialist Hospital in Tarnow, ul. Szpitalna 13, 33-100 Tarnow, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0004-7320-4773

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31435/ijitss.2(50).2026.5658

Keywords:

Antibiotic Resistance; Antimicrobial Resistance; Global Health; Epidemiology; One Health; Clinical Impact

Abstract

Antibiotic resistance (ABR) is a major public health crisis that undermines the effectiveness of modern medicine worldwide. This narrative review synthesizes recent evidence on the global burden, mechanisms, drivers, and clinical implications of ABR, emphasizing its One Health context. We performed a comprehensive literature review (2019–2025) of peer-reviewed studies, reports, and surveillance data. Findings indicate that antibiotic-resistant infections caused an estimated 1.27 million deaths in 2019 and were associated with nearly 5 million deaths globally. The highest burden occurs in low- and middle-income regions, where limited healthcare resources and lax regulation fuel resistant strains. Resistance mechanisms are diverse, including drug inactivation, efflux pumps, target modification, and biofilm formation, reflecting antibiotic use as an ancient bacterial survival strategy. Key drivers include inappropriate antibiotic use in human and veterinary medicine, agricultural use for growth promotion, and environmental contamination from pharmaceutical waste. Clinically, resistance has rendered common infections harder to treat and has made routine surgeries and treatments (e.g., chemotherapy, transplants) riskier. The economic impact is substantial, with projected multi-trillion-dollar losses by 2030. Our review highlights One Health stewardship strategies – infection prevention, optimized antibiotic use, new diagnostics and vaccines, and global cooperation - as essential to curbing ABR. Urgent action is required to preserve antibiotic efficacy for future generations.

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