The consequences are already being felt worldwide. Drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria such as E. coli and K. pneumoniae are becoming more dangerous globally. More than 40% of E. coli and over 55% of K. pneumoniae are now resistant to third‑generation cephalosporins, the first‑choice treatment for these infections. In the African Region, resistance exceeds 70%. Carbapenem resistance, once rare, is becoming more frequent, forcing reliance on last‑resort antibiotics that are costly and often unavailable in low‑ and middle‑income countries.
Antibiotic resistance is a critical global health threat driven by the overuse of drugs in human medicine and industrial farming, which accelerates natural evolutionary defenses in bacteria. Without intervention, this "silent pandemic" could cause 10 million annual deaths by 2050, severely impacting routine medical procedures and demanding a "One Health" approach. For further insights on the IELTS reading context, review academic materials on this subject. The consequences are already being felt worldwide
(or similar variations like "The Rise of Antibiotic Resistant Infections"), highlights how bacteria are evolving faster than our ability to develop new drugs. Passage Summary The Problem: pneumoniae are becoming more dangerous globally